Cold War

Two of the most far reaching agreements were the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963, which prohibited test detonations in the atmosphere and under water and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signed in 1968 which helped to halt the spread of nuclear weapons to other countries and to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

policy had major implications for the conduct of the Cold War. In the shadow of the atomic bomb, both sides realised that direct confrontation would lead to nuclear annihilation. Increasingly, the conflict between East and West became characterised as an ideological struggle between freedom and oppression with both sides mounting propaganda campaigns to win hearts and minds and secretly supporting regional insurgencies to further their aims and global ambitions.

The events of the late 1940s convinced European leaders that the only way to maintain the balance of power in Europe was to ensure the active support of the United States.