The Cold War was a period of international geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc. It began in the aftermath of the Second World War and ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The term cold war is used because there was no direct fighting between the two superpowers, though each supported opposing sides in regional conflicts known as proxy wars. In addition to the struggle for ideological and economic influence and an arms race in both conventional and nuclear weapons, the Cold War was expressed through technological rivalries such as the Space Race, espionage, propaganda campaigns, embargoes, and sports diplomacy.
Cold War: During a speech at the Brandenburg Gate by the Berlin Wall, US president Ronald Reagan challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall!" (speech featured).
On June 12, in the year 1987, Cold War: During a speech at the Brandenburg Gate by the Berlin Wall, US president Ronald Reagan challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall!" (speech featured). This event is recorded as a Selected Events event in the history of June 12, one of 404 recorded events on this date across all of history.
Key Facts
- This event took place on June 12, 1987 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Selected Events event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 6 Wikipedia articles.
- Wikipedia source last updated on 6 June 2026.
On This Date in History 404
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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