In what year did the Soviet government collapse, marking the end of the Cold War?

The Soviet government's collapse in 1991 is recognized as a pivotal moment in history, marking the official end of the Cold War. This event culminated in the dissolution of the Soviet Union, which was formally declared on December 26, 1991. The end of the Soviet Union not only signified the breakdown of a major geopolitical power but also shifted global political dynamics, leading to the emergence of the United States as the sole superpower.

In contrast, while 1989 is significant for the fall of the Berlin Wall and various revolutions in Eastern Europe, it did not directly signify the end of the Soviet government itself. The years 1993 and 1995 are often associated with other events in post-Soviet Russia and the broader context of international relations, but they do not mark the collapse of the Soviet state. Thus, the year 1991 is properly recognized as the end of the Cold War due to the Soviet Union's dissolution and the subsequent geopolitical changes that followed.