The significant event that marked the end of the Cold War was the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Following decades of ideological, military, and political tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, several factors contributed to the Cold War's conclusion, including economic challenges in the USSR, the rise of reformist leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and the growing independence movements in Eastern Europe. Notable events, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, symbolized the collapse of Communist control. The Cold War's end not only redefined global power dynamics but also paved the way for increased cooperation between formerly opposing states.