The Cold War, stretching from the end of World War II in 1945 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, was marked by a tense and complex series of confrontations, standoffs, and moments of detente between largely East and the West, primarily between two superpowers: the United States and the Soviet Union. Here are some defining moments and major events of the Cold War era: 1. **Formation of United Nations (1945):** Though not directly part of Cold War confrontation, the formation of the United Nations laid the foundation for many diplomatic exchanges and discussions during this period. 2. **The Truman Doctrine (1947):** This was a policy put forth by U.S. President Harry S Truman to provide economic and military aid to countries threatened by communism. It is often recognized as the official start of the Cold War. 3. **Marshall Plan (1947-1951):** This was a U.S. aid package to European countries to help them recover after World War II and prevent them from falling under Soviet influence. 4. **Berlin Blockade and Berlin Airlift (1948-1949):** The Soviet Union blocked rail and road access to West Berlin in an attempt to force the Allies out. In response, the Allies delivered supplies to West Berliners via an airlift for about a year until the blockade was lifted. 5. **Foundation of NATO (1949):** The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established by Western powers as a collective defense pact against the Soviet Union. 6. **Korean War (1950-1953):** This war resulted from a conflict between North Korea (backed by the Soviet Union and China) and South Korea (supported by the U.S. and its allies). 7. **Cuban Revolution (1959):** The victory of Fidel Castro's communist regime in Cuba increased Cold War tensions, as communism now had a foothold in the Western Hemisphere. 8. **Construction of the Berlin Wall (1961):** East Germany, backed by the Soviet Union, built a wall to prevent East Germans from fleeing to the West. 9. **Cuban Missile Crisis (1962):** An extremely tense confrontation when the U.S. and the Soviet Union nearly came to nuclear warloads over the deployment of Soviet missiles in Cuba. 10. **Vietnam War (1955-1975):** A long and controversial war where U.S. intervened to stop the spread of communism in South-East Asia. 11. **Prague Spring and the subsequent Soviet Intervention (1968):** An attempt to establish "socialism with a human face" in Czechoslovakia was suppressed by the Warsaw Pact forces. 12. **SALT I and II (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks - 1972 & 1979):** These were landmark arms control treaties between U.S. and Soviet Union, reflecting periods of relaxation, or detente. 13. **Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989):** The Soviet Union's costly and unsuccessful war in Afghanistan heavily strained their economy and contributed to the dissolution of the Soviet state. 14. **Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989):** This significant event signaled the beginning of the end of the Cold War, allowing East and West Berliners to travel freely. 15. **Dissolution of the USSR (1991):** The breakup of the Soviet Union marked the end of the Cold War era. Remember, these are only select highlights. The Cold War era was complex and multi-faceted, involving a range of political, military, economic, and ideological struggles in diverse locations around the globe. It was a period that had a profound and lasting impact on global politics, societal perspectives, and international relations.