Thus, the reality of the pervasiveness of the Cold War was woven into the very fabric of the literature, culture and certainly the politics of an entire generation of people throughout the globe. Given the polarities that grew out of this time period, there is within certain intellectual and political circles the question as to whether or not the Cold War is indeed now merely an historical relic. In any case, with the opening of the former Eastern Bloc, voluminous amounts of information are now available for the consumption of posterity. Perhaps now, with the various memories of the Cold War experience still fresh in the minds of many and the documentation of much of this time now accessible, we can come to a greater understanding of this time period. In so doing, we may find that its lingering impact on the World can also be more fully understood.
Truth is often stranger, and more disturbing, than fiction.
See how the CIA dirtied its hands in the cocaine trade of the 1980s. The National Security Archive Homepage Discover formerly classified U.S. government documents dealing with matters directly relating to statesmanship and security issues in the Cold War. The Cold War International History Project Find out about one the most comprehensive recent Cold War studies projects in the American academic circle. Since the Cold War pervaded all aspects of American life, a look into how it was portrayed in the popular culture of the time will prove to be illuminating for students of this time period. This site features plenty of sound bites of stumbling and bumbling by the players in the Cold War, as well as some genuinely illuminating commentary on the issues of the time.