Crash Course: World History — Season 1, Episode 39: USA vs USSR Fight! The Cold War: Crash Course World History #39

Episode synopsis

John Green teaches you about the Cold War, which was occasionally hot, but on average, it was just cool. In the sense of its temperature. It was by no means cool, man. After World War II, there were basically two big geopolitical powers left to divide up the world. And divide they did. The United States and the Soviet Union divvied up Europe in the aftermath of the war and then proceeded to spend the next 45 years fighting over the rest of the world. It was a great ideological struggle, with the US on the side of capitalism and profit, and the USSR pushing Communism, so-called. While both sides presented themselves as the good guy in this situation, the COLD reality is that there are no good guys. Both parties to the Cold War engaged in forcible regime changes, built up vast nuclear arsenals, and basically got up to dirty tricks.

About Crash Course: World History

Crash Course World History is a video course hosted by John Green that teaches world history from growing the first crops in the First Agricultural Revolution to global textile production in the 2010s. Across the series, it builds skills in identifying and explaining historical developments, analyzing events in broader context, and tracing patterns and connections across time and place—aiming to help viewers become more informed citizens of the world. Season 1 follows the 2012 AP World History curriculum in a 42-episode chronological survey, while Season 2 continues in 30 episodes with a more thematic approach that focuses on systems and encourages viewers to question how “history” is written and what biases shape it.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1The Agricultural Revolution: Crash Course World History #1
• E2Indus Valley Civilization: Crash Course World History #2
• E3Mesopotamia: Crash Course World History #3
• E4Ancient Egypt: Crash Course World History #4
• E5The Persians & Greeks: Crash Course World History #5
• E6Buddha and Ashoka: Crash Course World History #6
• E72,000 Years of Chinese History! The Mandate of Heaven and Confucius: World History #7
• E8Alexander the Great: Crash Course World History #8
• E9The Silk Road and Ancient Trade: Crash Course World History #9
• E10The Roman Empire. Or Republic. Or...Which Was It?: Crash Course World History #10
• E11Christianity from Judaism to Constantine: Crash Course World History #11
• E12Fall of The Roman Empire...in the 15th Century: Crash Course World History #12