The Cold War is the designation given to the political-ideological conflict between the United States (USA), defenders of capitalism, and the Soviet Union (USSR), advocate of a form of socialism. There is no consensus on the exact date of the beginning of the Cold War.
The Cold War manifested itself in all sectors of life and culture, representing the opposition between two ideals of happiness: the socialist ideal and the capitalist ideal. The socialists idealized an egalitarian society. The state owned the banks, the factories, the credit system and the land, and it was the state that was supposed to distribute wealth and ensure a decent life for all citizens. For the capitalists, the reasoning was the opposite. Individual happiness was the main thing.
Thanks to these economic, political and military measures, both the United States and the Soviet Union have created blocks or areas of influence, that is, a set of allied countries. The United States-led bloc comprised the countries of Europe, numerous countries in Africa, Asia, and Oceania. These countries adopted a capitalist or market economy system.
The Soviet Union, in turn, brought together under its leadership the so-called socialist countries, which adopted the system of planned economy. This bloc belonged to the countries of Eastern Europe, some countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Cuba (from 1961).
China, whose government adopted socialism from 1949 onwards, remained allied with the Soviet Union until 1958, when it broke friendship with its neighbor and went its own ways. From 1972, it resumed relations with the US.