Final answer:
The Cold War was marked by a clash between communism and capitalism, led by the Soviet Union and the United States, respectively. It involved political and economic conflicts, influenced global superpower competition in numerous domains including the arms race, and significantly impacted the direction of world affairs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Cold War impacted the world because of the conflict between the ideologies of capitalism and communism. The Soviet Union believed in communism, an ideology where the government controls the economy and production. The United States believed in capitalism, where individual people and companies run businesses and production. This caused conflict in politics because each side sought to extend its sphere of influence and block the other from doing the same, leading to an arms race, proxy wars, and a divided global society. It caused conflict in world economics because both superpowers competed for natural resources and political control of emerging countries, affecting global trade and economic policies. Different societies had conflicts due to the ideological tug-of-war, which influenced countries' internal politics and international relations. The arms race, including the nuclear arms race and the space race, had a significant impact on the world.