What event marked the beginning of the Cold War?

The beginning of the Cold War is most accurately marked by the end of World War II. This period saw the emergence of a geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, as both nations emerged as superpowers with conflicting ideologies: capitalism versus communism. The power vacuum left in Europe after the defeat of Nazi Germany allowed these two nations to exert influence and control, leading to a rivalry characterized by military, political, and economic strategies rather than direct conflict.

While the rivalry between nuclear superpowers is a significant characteristic of the Cold War, it developed later as both sides engaged in an arms race. The establishment of the United Nations aimed at promoting peace and preventing future conflicts, but it was the aftermath of the war that set the stage for the Cold War dynamics. The collapse of the Soviet government occurred much later, at the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, far after the initial tensions had formed. Thus, it is the conclusion of World War II that serves as the key event marking the onset of the Cold War.