There was a great potential for global nuclear destruction: For the first four and a half decades after World War II, much of the world was divided into two hostile camps, led by the Soviet Union t and the US. This gigantic global struggle was known as the cold War. During this time, the superpowers engaged in a nuclear arms race, which was the most expensive and largest buildup of weapons in history. The Soviet Union and the US were reluctant to engage with each other precisely because of this nuclear arms race and the devastating effect it could have upon the world. Although they themselves never warred against each other, they instead used other nations as proxies to do so