The ideological conflict that defined the Cold War period was primarily the struggle between capitalism and communism. The United States and its allies, promoting democratic governance and free-market economies, were pitted against the Soviet Union and its satellite states, which espoused a communist ideology advocating for state control of the economy and society. This ideological division manifested in various forms, including military alliances like NATO and the Warsaw Pact, numerous proxy wars, and a pervasive atmosphere of distrust and propaganda. The Cold War significantly influenced global politics, economics, and military strategies, shaping international relations for decades until the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.