Both sides held enough weapons to ensure "Mutually Assured Destruction" (MAD).
The U.S. pledged to stop the spread of communism. The Cold War: A Post-Cold War History
The closest the world came to nuclear war in 1962. 2. Détente and Proxy Wars (1963–1979) Both sides held enough weapons to ensure "Mutually
The Cold War (1947–1991) pitted the Western Bloc (led by the USA) against the Eastern Bloc (led by the USSR). It was "cold" because no large-scale direct fighting occurred between the two superpowers, though many "proxy wars" were fought globally. The Cold War: A Post-Cold War History
The tension was not constant; it ebbed and flowed through different geopolitical cycles. 1. Containment and Escalation (1947–1962)