General Educational Development (GED) Social Studies Practice Test 2025 - Free GED Social Studies Practice Questions and Study Guide

The Cold War was primarily a geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union that lasted from the end of World War II until the early 1990s. This conflict was characterized by a struggle for ideological dominance, where the United States promoted capitalism and democracy, while the Soviet Union advocated for communism and a socialist state.

This rivalry influenced various aspects of international relations, including military alliances, nuclear arms races, and proxy wars around the world, but it did not result in direct military confrontation between the two superpowers. The impact of the Cold War shaped global politics and led to the formation of organizations and treaties aimed at controlling nuclear weapons and preventing further ideological conflict.

The other options do not accurately represent the main conflict of the Cold War; for instance, the Axis and Allies refer to factions in World War II, and the conflict between North Korea and South Korea is an example of a war influenced by Cold War dynamics but is not the defining struggle of that era. The relationship between the United States and China during this period also lacked the same direct antagonism as the rivalry with the Soviet Union.