Final answer:
The Cold War was a prolonged period of political and military tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, which involved an arms race, proxy conflicts, and ideological competition without direct military confrontation.
The ease of tensions and arms reduction agreements led to the end of the Cold War with the United States emerging as the dominant global superpower, despite some domestic opposition to the compromises made.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Cold War shaped the global political and ideological landscape after World War II, with its effects resonating throughout the world. The competition between the United States and the Soviet Union for supremacy led to an arms race, proxy wars, and a tense political climate. Although the war never became a 'hot' conflict involving direct military confrontations between the superpowers, the threat of nuclear warfare loomed large.
Both sides engaged in espionage, political assassinations, propaganda, and the manipulation of other nations through various means, including economic pressure and military support. The eventual easing of tensions, or détente, between the two nations led to agreements that helped to stabilize the situation and was partly instrumental in ending the Cold War, positioning the United States as the only remaining superpower.
As a result, the Cold War's conclusion had multiple effects: 1) Improved US-Soviet relations through arms reduction treaties, 2) High tensions during the war, especially when certain strategies angered Americans opposed to compromise, 3) The end of the Cold War and the emergence of the United States as the world's sole superpower, and 4) Discontent from some American citizens who disapproved of negotiations with the Soviet Union. These dynamics illustrated how both nations exercised their influence on the global stage, with a lasting impact on international relations and global politics.