How did the Cold War affect the world today?

The Cold War affected the world in a variety of ways, and the West in particular. The United States and Russia were forever changed as a result of tensions between the West and the Soviet Union. Although modern-day Russia and the United States now have peaceful relations, fear of nuclear war led to long-lasting tensions between governments and nations.

One of the most significant ways in which the Cold War affected the United States was the paranoia generated by fear that Russia would use a nuclear weapon. This fear led to the loss of numerous lives and a resurgence in international espionage. The United States also saw a resurgence in the incidence of "communist witch hunts" during the period of the Cold War, which led to undue suspicion and general mistreatment of anyone who was deemed to have ties, however tenuous, with the Soviet Union. The doctrine of containment forever changed United States foreign policy, fostering a sense of nationalism unlike any the country had ever seen before.

On the other hand, without the Cold War, it would have been impossible for the space program to develop as rapidly as it did. In fact, the "space race" led to a scientific renaissance in Russia and the United States, inspiring the formation of NASA. On a governmental level, both NATO and the Warsaw Pact were formed as a direct reaction to the events of the Cold War. The Cold War also led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, leaving the United States as the only remaining world superpower.

The Cold War was a trying period for the West and it permanently altered United States foreign policy. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the Cold War is that it changed the way in which nations compete, shifting the focus from military competition to scientific advancements with military applications.