The Cold War was a strategic and tactical contest to influence the nature of the governments and societies of the world’s countries. On one hand, the United States and its allies sought to spread democratic capitalism; on the other, the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China attempted to export their versions of communism. In seeking to advance their worldviews, the superpowers provided military, material, technical, and financial aid to countries they hoped to bring into their spheres of influence. They formulated policies aimed at advancing their geopolitical agendas, blocking their rival’s advance, and deciding when and how to intervene in the affairs of other countries. Much thought and effort went into trying to understand each other’s motives, objectives, and strategies and how to best counter them. On both sides there were a number of schools of thought regarding these matters, and through the course of the Cold War policies on both sides went through many changes big and small. Below you will also find examples of the era’s war of words as reflected in some its most important organs of propaganda and most famous speeches.