The global struggle characterized by a rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union is known as the Cold War, which lasted roughly from the end of World War II in 1947 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. This period was marked by political tension, military rivalry, and ideological conflict, primarily between capitalist Western democracies led by the United States and communist Eastern bloc nations led by the Soviet Union. Despite not resulting in direct military conflict between the superpowers, the Cold War involved proxy wars, nuclear arms races, espionage, and significant cultural exchanges, shaping global politics and society for decades.