The overarching goal of the Cold War was to exert ideological influence and prevent the spread of communism. Following World War II, tensions between the capitalist United States and the communist Soviet Union escalated, leading to a protracted ideological and geopolitical struggle that defined much of the second half of the 20th century. Each superpower sought to expand its political and economic system globally, leading to conflicts, proxy wars, and military alliances like NATO and the Warsaw Pact. The Cold War influenced international relations and domestic policies, as both sides engaged in a race for nuclear arms, technological supremacy, and influence in various regions of the world.