From the last phases of World War II until the collapse of the Soviet Union on December 25, 1991, a period of turmoil and conflict dominated the planet known as the Cold War. During that time, this clash was the center of global politics, threatened international peace, and caused a buildup of nuclear arsenals, which today has sparked Operation: Iraqi Freedom. As we now look back at the conflict, it is frightening to see how many times full scale war could have broken out, and even where it did. The Cold War can be separated into three stages according to the time frames: 1945-1949, 1950-1…
