Cold War End
Definition
The end of the Cold War was marked by a period of reduced tension between Soviet Union (and its allies) and United States (and its allies). It officially ended in December of 1991 with dissolution of Soviet Union.
Analogy
Imagine two high school rivals constantly competing for top spot in every field – sports, academics etc., but never actually getting into a physical fight. That's what US-Soviet relations were like during Cold War. Its end was like graduation day when they both went their separate ways without any major showdown or fight.
Related terms
Perestroika: Russian for "restructuring", it was an initiative under Mikhail Gorbachev aiming at reforming Soviet economy by introducing elements such as market incentives.
Glasnost: Russian for "openness", it was a policy of increased transparency and freedom of speech in Soviet Union under Mikhail Gorbachev.
Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The process of disintegration of USSR's federal structure, which occurred over years but was completed in December 1991.
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