Map by Nicolás Martínez Padilla

Korean War (1950–1953)

a01724961 — 2025-06-27 15:31:01 UTC

The Korean War was an interstate conflict between North Korea and South Korea. It was a proxy war, with the USSR and China backing up North Korea, and the US and United Nations backing up South Korea. The key leaders where Kim Il-sung and Syngman Rhee. The war was caused by the differences between communism and capitalism. It ended in a stalemate, both sides agreed to stop fighting but not signing a peace treaty. The war caused millions of deaths and left Korea divided.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

a01724961 — 2025-06-27 15:33:32 UTC

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a major Cold War event that almost started a nuclear war. It was between the United States and the USSR, but it happened in Cuba, where the Soviets put nuclear missiles. Key actors were Fidel Castro, John F. Kennedy, and Nikita Khrushchev. It happened because of the fight between communism and capitalism. In the end, they avoided war through a deal: the USSR would remove their missiles from Cuba and the US would remove their missiles from Turkey.

Vietnam War (1955–1975)

a01724961 — 2025-06-27 15:35:28 UTC

The Vietnam War was a intrastate conflict between the North, backed up by the USSR and China, and the South, backed up by the US. Key leaders were Ho Chi Minh and Ngo Dinh Diem. It started because of anti-colonial movements and the differences between communism and capitalism. The US eventually got out, and North Vietnam won, making the country communist. The war caused millions of deaths and destroyed the environment.

Congo Crisis (1960–1965)

a01724961 — 2025-06-27 15:37:23 UTC

The Congo Crisis was an intrastate crisis that started after Congo got independence from Belgium. It turned into a proxy war, with the US and Belgium Backing up Western leaders and the USSR backing up Patrice Lumumba. There was a lot of chaos. The war led to Lumumba’s death and Mobutu Sese Seko coming to power. It was caused by colonial problems, ethnic tensions, and different ideologies. The war caused political instability, a bad economy, and a lot of suffering.

Nicaraguan Revolution (1961–1990)

a01724961 — 2025-06-27 15:46:27 UTC

The Nicaraguan revolution was a intrastate conflict where the Sandinista government, which was backed up by the USSR and Cuba, went against Contras, which the US backed up . Key actors where Daniel Ortega and the Somoza family. The conflict began with inequality, dictatorship, and ideological rivalry. It was a proxy war, which was an indirect effect of the cold war. The war caused tens of thousands of deaths and huge economic damage. It ended with a peace agreement and elections in 1990, in which the Sandinistas lost all the power.

Chilean Coup d’État (1973)

a01724961 — 2025-06-27 16:05:30 UTC

The Chilean coup was when the US wanted the removal of President Salvador Allende and eventually replaced him with General Augusto Pinochet. It wasn’t a full war, but a conflict between socialism and capitalism. The US backed up Pinochet, and the USSR backed up Allende. The conflict was about economic problems and different ideologies. After the coup, Pinochet ran a dictatorship that led to thousands of deaths and violations of human rights. Chile stayed like this until the late 1980s.

Angolan Civil War (1975–2002):

a01724961 — 2025-06-27 16:07:38 UTC

The Angolan Civil War was a really long intrastate conflict that also became a proxy war. The MPLA, backed up by the USSR and Cuba, fought against UNITA, which was backed up by the US and South Africa. Key leaders were Agostinho Neto and Jonas Savimbi. It started after Angola became independent from Portugal, and the Cold War made it worse. There were also fights over resources like oil and diamonds. The war caused over 500,000 deaths, and it finally ended in 2002 when Savimbi died and a peace deal was signed.

Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989)

a01724961 — 2025-06-27 16:18:03 UTC

The Soviet–Afghan War was an intrastate conflict in Afghanistan that became a proxy war during the Cold War. The Soviet Union backed up the communist government, and the U.S., Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia backed up the Mujahideen. Key leaders were Babrak Karmal and Ronald Reagan. It was caused by the Soviet occupation and Cold War tensions. The war caused between 1 and 2 million deaths, made 6 million people leave the country, and left the economy very damaged. There was also a lot of environmental damage. The Soviets left in 1989, but the war inside the country continued.

The Troubles (Late 1960s–1998)

a01724961 — 2025-06-27 16:20:28 UTC

The Troubles was an intrastate conflict in Ireland. It wasn’t a proxy war, but a fight between Unionists and Nationalists. The UK and Ireland were involved, and key leaders were Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley. The conflict started because of religion divisions and the Catholic community’s fight for civil rights. It caused over 3,500 deaths, forced thousands to leave, and hurt the local economy. There wasn’t much environmental damage. The conflict ended with the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, which brought peace.

APA

a01724961 — 2025-06-27 16:38:48 UTC

OpenAI. (2025, June 27). Cold War conflicts summary and analysis [ChatGPT conversation]. ChatGPT. https://chat.openai.com/

OpenAI. (2025, June 27). ChatGPT response summarizing Cold War conflicts including the Korean War, Vietnam War, and others, with key facts, actors, causes, outcomes, and citations. ChatGPT. https://chat.openai.com/

Taylor, A. (2014, August 5). The Soviet War in Afghanistan, 1979 - 1989. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2014/08/the-soviet-war-in-afghanistan-1979-1989/100786/

Independent. (2023, April 7). Northern Ireland 1960-1998: The Troubles in 15 photos. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/northern-ireland-troubles-good-friday-agreement-b2314696.html