Exactly how cold was the Cold War?

1945 - The Cold War was a sustained state of political and military tension between powers in the United States and powers in the the Soviet Union and its allies in Warsaw Pact. It was "cold" because there was no major fighting directly between the two sides, although there were major regional wars in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan was the two sides supported. The Cold War split the temporary wartime alliance against Nazi Germany, leaving the USSR and the US as two superpowers with major economic and political differences over totalitarian communism and capitalist democracy.
The two powers never engaged directly in full-scale armed combat but they each armed heavily in preparation of an all-out nuclear World War II. Each side had a nuclear attack by the other side, on the basis that such an attack would lead to total destruction of the attacker: the doctrine of mutually assured destruction. Aside from the development of the two sides nuclear arsenals, and deployment of conventional military forces, the struggle for dominance was expressed around the globe. The Cold War and its events have left a significant legacy, and it is often referred to in popular culture, especially in media featuring themes of espionage and the threat of nuclear warfare.

Truman got out of his car at 19th St. He was leading the soldiers he commanded to the reviewing stands.

This banner was created to recognize the veterans in the Cold War. This soldiers deserve to be recognized.

This photo was taken at the Nike missile site at Crile. These missiles were ready for take off.

Soldiers lining up holding the American flag. This was patriotic towards the US beginning of the Cold War.