During the Cold War, American policies of containment and collective security collided with attempts at communist expansion, wars of national liberation that resulted in the end of European empires throughout much of Africa and Asia (a process often called "decolonization"), as well as postcolonial conflicts shaped by the Cold War superpower confrontation. Cadets will examine the strategic conditions and political considerations influencing the use of force and diplomacy during this period. They will gain an appreciation for the various actors' decisions and experiences, how the Cold War and decolonization influenced societies across the globe, and the legacies of these conflicts.