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[[File:Earth map, 20th century, North Pacific.jpg|thumb|20th century map depicting the [[USSR]] and [[China]]'s east coasts and the west coast of the [[USA]] and [[Canada]]]]
[[Image:Us_flag_large.png|right|199px|The flag of the United States during most of the Cold War.]]
 
 
The '''Cold War''' was a decades-long period of heightened tensions between the [[United States of America]] and the [[Soviet Union]], the two largest military and economic powers on [[Earth]] during the the second half of [[20th century]], and their respective allies.
[[Image:Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.png|right||200px|The flag of the Soviet Union upon its dissolution in 1991]]
 
   
 
As the two dominant nation-states to emerge after [[World War II]], the United States of America (USA) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) were diametrically opposed in economic and social philosophy. However, the devastating effects of that conflict combined with the enormous [[atomic bomb|nuclear arsenal]] of the two countries made open hostilities a disastrous prospect for both. Rather than risk mutual annihilation the two powers engaged in a "cold war" that consisted of intense espionage, political manipulation of satellite states (see "[[Brush Wars]]"), and covert military actions. As such it was not an open "war" between the USA and USSR, in a conventional sense.
The '''Cold War''' was a conflict between the [[United States of America]] and the [[Soviet Union]] ([[Russia]]). It was a persistent state of high tension between the two largest military and economic powers on [[Earth]] during the the second half of [[20th Century]].
 
 
As the two dominant nation-states to emerge after [[World War II]] the United States (USA) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) were diametrically opposed in economic and social philosophy. However, the devastating effects of that conflict combined with the enormous [[atomic bomb|nuclear arsenal]] of the two countries made open hostilities a disastrous prospect for both. Rather than risk mutual annihilation the two powers engaged in a "[[cold war]]" that consisted of intense espionage, political manipulation of satellite states, and covert military actions.
 
   
 
The atmosphere created by the Cold War put enormous strains on the governments and citizens of both countries. Suspicion of each other's motives was the normal state of affairs, and the military leadership of both sides regularly argued for armed conflict.
 
The atmosphere created by the Cold War put enormous strains on the governments and citizens of both countries. Suspicion of each other's motives was the normal state of affairs, and the military leadership of both sides regularly argued for armed conflict.
   
 
When [[Quark]], [[Rom]], [[Nog]], and [[Odo]] were thrown back in time to [[1947]] the military of the US accused them of being involved with the [[Russia]]ns, their Cold War adversary. After the US was on the verge of rejecting Quark's deal, the Ferengi threatened to sell 24th century technology to the Soviets. ({{DS9|Little Green Men}})
The Cold War on Earth during this time was in many ways a predecessor to the interstellar [[Federation-Klingon Cold War]] of the [[23rd Century]].
 
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[[Julian Bashir]]'s [[holosuite program]] ''[[Julian Bashir, Secret Agent]]'' was set during the [[1960s]] at the height of the Cold War. ({{DS9|Our Man Bashir}})
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The Cold War was ended in [[1991]] when the Soviet Union was dissolved. ({{VOY|Future's End}})
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{{Earthwars}}
   
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== Appendices ==
When [[Quark]], [[Rom]], [[Nog]], and [[Odo]] were thrown back in time to [[1947]] the military of the US accused them of being involved with the [[Russia|Russians]], their Cold War adversary. After the US was on the verge of rejecting Quark's deal, the Ferengi threatened to sell 24th century technology to the Soviets. ([[DS9]]: "[[Little Green Men]]")
 
 
=== Background Information ===
 
The end of the Cold War was the inspiration for {{film|6}}. The collapse of the Soviet Union between the release of {{film|4}} and ''Star Trek VI'' created the anachronism of having an officer at [[Starfleet Headquarters]] refer to the city of [[Leningrad]], which after the fall of the USSR reverted to its original name of St. Petersburg.
   
[[Julian Bashir|Julian Bashir's]] [[holosuite program]] ''[[Julian Bashir, Secret Agent]]'' was set during the [[1960s]] at the height of the Cold War. ([[DS9]]: "[[Our Man Bashir]]")
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The character of [[Pavel Chekov]] in ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' was a controversial move, coming as it did at the height of the Cold War, only six years after the construction of the {{w|Berlin Wall}} and five years after the {{w|Cuban Missile Crisis}}.
   
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The script of the ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' episode {{e|Destiny}} describes the meeting between [[Benjamin Sisko]] and his crew with [[Ulani Belor]] and [[Gilora Rejal]] as being "''like a meeting between [[American]]s and [[Russian]]s at the height of the Cold War''."
The Cold War was ended in [[1991]] when the Soviet Union, driven to social and economic hardship by extensive military spending, was dissolved. ([[VOY]]: "[[Future's End, Part I]]")
 
   
 
=== External links ===
==Backround Information==
 
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* {{wikipedia|Cold War}}
The end of the Cold War was the inspiration for [[Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country]]. [[Star Trek: The Next Generation]] did not envisage the end of the Cold War or the Soviet Union as demonstrated by the reference to the [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]] in "[[The Naked Now]]."
 
   
Likewise, the collapse of the Soviet Union between the release [[Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home]] and Star Trek VI created the apocrphya of having an officer at [[Starfleet Headquarters]] refer to the city of [[Leningrad]], which after the fall of the USSR reverted to its original name of St. Petersburg.
 
   
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[[de:Kalter Krieg (Erde)]]
The character of [[Pavel Chekov]] in [[Star Trek: The Original Series]] was a controversial move, coming as it did at the height of the Cold War, only six years after the construction of the [[Wikipedia:Berlin Wall|Berlin Wall]] and five years after the [[Wikipedia:Cuban Missile Crisis|Cuban Missile Crisis]].
 
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[[fr:Guerre Froide Terrienne]]
 
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[[Category:Earth conflicts]]
==External Links==
 
[[Wikipedia:Cold War|The Cold War]] at [[Wikipedia:Main Page|Wikipedia]]
 
{{pna-incomplete}}
 
[[category:Earth]]
 

Revision as of 23:02, 10 December 2012

Earth map, 20th century, North Pacific

20th century map depicting the USSR and China's east coasts and the west coast of the USA and Canada

The Cold War was a decades-long period of heightened tensions between the United States of America and the Soviet Union, the two largest military and economic powers on Earth during the the second half of 20th century, and their respective allies.

As the two dominant nation-states to emerge after World War II, the United States of America (USA) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) were diametrically opposed in economic and social philosophy. However, the devastating effects of that conflict combined with the enormous nuclear arsenal of the two countries made open hostilities a disastrous prospect for both. Rather than risk mutual annihilation the two powers engaged in a "cold war" that consisted of intense espionage, political manipulation of satellite states (see "Brush Wars"), and covert military actions. As such it was not an open "war" between the USA and USSR, in a conventional sense.

The atmosphere created by the Cold War put enormous strains on the governments and citizens of both countries. Suspicion of each other's motives was the normal state of affairs, and the military leadership of both sides regularly argued for armed conflict.

When Quark, Rom, Nog, and Odo were thrown back in time to 1947 the military of the US accused them of being involved with the Russians, their Cold War adversary. After the US was on the verge of rejecting Quark's deal, the Ferengi threatened to sell 24th century technology to the Soviets. (DS9: "Little Green Men")

Julian Bashir's holosuite program Julian Bashir, Secret Agent was set during the 1960s at the height of the Cold War. (DS9: "Our Man Bashir")

The Cold War was ended in 1991 when the Soviet Union was dissolved. (VOY: "Future's End")

Template:Earthwars

Appendices

Background Information

The end of the Cold War was the inspiration for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. The collapse of the Soviet Union between the release of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek VI created the anachronism of having an officer at Starfleet Headquarters refer to the city of Leningrad, which after the fall of the USSR reverted to its original name of St. Petersburg.

The character of Pavel Chekov in Star Trek: The Original Series was a controversial move, coming as it did at the height of the Cold War, only six years after the construction of the Berlin Wall and five years after the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The script of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Destiny" describes the meeting between Benjamin Sisko and his crew with Ulani Belor and Gilora Rejal as being "like a meeting between Americans and Russians at the height of the Cold War."

External links