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ENGLISCH/750: Questions to Mrs. Gobbledygook (121) The Cold War (SB)


QUESTIONS TO MRS GOBBLEDYGOOK


121. A short question about a long-lasting and unfriendly relationship



Dear Mrs Gobbledygook

My name is Bosco and I'm 18 years old. I have often heard in news broadcasts the expression "the cold war". And I would like to know the meaning of it.

Yours
Bosco Bowatta, (Gampaha, Sri Lanka)


*


Dear Mr Bowatta

The cold war - usually spelt "Cold War" - is the term for the very unfriendly relationship between two countries who are not actually fighting each other. It was first used to describe the situation between America and the former Soviet Union after the Second World War and the state of diplomatic tension in the period before the downfall of communism in the Soviet Union. In a wider context one could say that the Cold War was between the countries of the West and all the countries that were under the influence of the Soviet Union. We use the expression the "Cold War" because the countries were not actually at war. They were not in the heat of battle. But there was at times a great deal of tension and often threats which were used to gain political or economic advantage without actually fighting.

Yours
Mrs Gobbledygook


1 November 2007