Define the Cold War.

The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and its allies (Western Bloc) and the Soviet Union and its allies (Eastern Bloc) from the mid-1940s until the early 1990s. It was characterized by an ideological struggle between capitalism and communism, an arms race, and proxy conflicts around the world, without direct large-scale military conflict between the two superpowers.

As African nations gained independence from colonial rule, they became arenas for Cold War competition. Both the US and the USSR sought to expand their influence by supporting different political factions or governments, often providing military and economic aid. This led to numerous proxy wars and interventions, as superpowers backed opposing sides in internal conflicts to advance their ideological and strategic interests on the continent.