Title: 13 wars in history that have shaped the world | Brainscape Academy
Headings: 13 wars in history that have shaped the world
13 wars in history that have shaped the world
1. The Crusades
2. The French Revolution
3. The Mexican-American War
4. World War I
5. World War II
6. Israel and Palestine
7. The Cold War
8. The Korean War
9. The Vietnam War
10. The Soviet-Afghan War
11. The Iraq-Iran War and the Gulf War
12. The U.S.-Afghan War
13. The Iraq War
Learn about more wars in history

Content: The Cold War
After World War II, the European nations which had been in power were eclipsed by two nations: the USSR and the United States. Both were strategically poised to take advantage of the war’s aftermath for economic and political gain, but both were wary of one another since the USSR espoused communism, while the United States championed capitalism. In the wake of the war, neither country was itching for a fight, and the conflict settled into an uneasy “Cold War,” in which no overt battles were fought. However, the Cold War (which lasted from 1947 to 1991) was characterized by numerous “proxy wars” such as Korea, Afghanistan, and Vietnam, political wrangling, and an arms race which included the development of massive nuclear weapons arsenals. The Soviet Union eventually collapsed in 1991, exhausted politically and financially from the decades of conflict with the West. 8. The Korean War
Japan ruled Korea until the end of World War II, which led to upheaval. The country was divided between North and South Korea, with the north occupied by the USSR and the south by the United Nations (led by the United States). By 1948, tensions rose, as both proxy governments wanted to reunite the country.