The event that marked the beginning of the Cold War is often debated, but many historians cite the end of World War II in 1945 and the subsequent tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union as the catalyst. The division of Europe into Eastern and Western blocs, highlighted by the Iron Curtain's emergence, exemplified this ideological conflict between capitalism and communism. Key events, such as the Berlin Blockade in 1948 and the formation of NATO in 1949, solidified the hostile rivalry, which played a pivotal role in global politics throughout the second half of the 20th century.