NYSTCE 115 – Social Studies Practice Exam 2026 - Free Social Studies Practice Questions and Study Guide

The Soviet Union was the primary adversary of the United States during the Cold War due to a complex interplay of ideological, political, and military factors. The Cold War, which lasted from approximately the end of World War II until the early 1990s, was characterized by a significant ideological conflict between capitalism, represented by the United States, and communism, represented by the Soviet Union.

This rivalry led to various proxy wars, arms races, and significant diplomatic tensions, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, which brought the world closer to nuclear conflict. The division of Europe into Eastern and Western blocs, represented by the Iron Curtain, was another manifestation of this rivalry, with the Soviet Union exerting control over Eastern Europe while the U.S. sought to contain communism in the West.

Although other nations, such as China and North Korea, were involved in conflicts and tensions with the U.S. during this period, their significance as primary adversaries was overshadowed by the overarching competition with the Soviet Union, especially in terms of global influence, military presence, and nuclear capabilities. Germany, meanwhile, was a focal point of Cold War tensions but was not an adversary in the same sense, as it was divided into East and West rather than