19461991

1946-1991 refers to a period of nearly five decades that spans the Cold War era and includes significant events in world history. The year 1946 marked the end of World War II, while 1991 saw the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Preceding the 1946-1991 period was the aftermath of World War II. Germany was occupied by the Allied powers, while the Soviet Union emerged as a superpower. The early 1940s witnessed the formation of the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union into the "Grand Alliance" against Nazi Germany. Following the surrender of Japan in 1945, the Pacific was occupied by the United States, and the Soviet Union clashed with the West over Eastern Europe.

The period also included the Cold War, which was a state of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. During the early years, the conflict involved espionage, propaganda, and proxy wars, but gradually intensified into an ideological contest between capitalism and communism.

The 1960s and 1970s saw significant social change, including civil rights movements, protests against the Vietnam War, and the emergence of counterculture. However, the 1980s witnessed increased hostilities as the United States engaged in proxy wars with the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and Angola. In 1989, major public protests began in Eastern Europe, leading eventually to the rapid fall of Soviet-backed regimes. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, marking an end to the period and the onset of a new era in international politics.