hst 183

The U.S. and Russia had a cold war after World War II to stop communism. They were afraid of nuclear weapons, so they didn't fight directly. Instead, they fought in proxy wars. They also competed in the space race to see who could innovate the fastest. Soon after the end of World War II, the U.S. entered a cold war with Russia to prevent the spread of communism. The cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union was driven by an arms race and the escalating fear of nuclear weapons. Instead of fighting Russia directly, the United States would be involved in a few proxy wars. The competition between the United States and Soviet Russia to innovate the quickest led to the space race.