How Long Did the Cold War Last?

The Cold War started when the Soviet Union refused to recognize obligations incurred during World War II, including moving out of the Middle East and allowing Germany to be a free state. When the Soviet Union also acquired nuclear weapons, the two superpowers found themselves in a precariously balanced position. Neither one was willing to move openly for fear that the other would use those weapons. The Cold War spawned multiple small wars and conflicts, and it only ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.