De koude oorlog
Example: De koude oorlog beïnvloedde de internationale politiek jarenlang sterk.
Definition
"De koude oorlog" refers to the prolonged period of political and military tension between the Western bloc, led by the United States, and the Eastern bloc, led by the Soviet Union, lasting roughly from 1947 to 1991, without direct armed conflict but with significant ideological and proxy wars.
Etymology
The term "de koude oorlog" literally translates to "the cold war" in English. It originated during the mid-20th century to describe the absence of direct fighting between the superpowers, as the conflict was primarily ideological and strategic rather than involving open warfare. Did you know? The phrase captures the chilling atmosphere of suspicion and rivalry without hot battles.
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"De koude oorlog" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - History - (B2) - set 1", containing 105 commonly used words.
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the Cold War