The end of the Cold War is often marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. This event symbolized the collapse of communist control in Eastern Europe and led to the reunification of Germany, which was formally completed on October 3, 1990. The Cold War era was characterized by political tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States, and its conclusion paved the way for significant geopolitical changes, including the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. This shift also initiated new discussions about globalization and international relations in the post-Cold War world.