The end of the Cold War in the late 1980s changed how the United States interacted with the rest of the world. Before that, the world was mainly split between two superpowers: the U.S. and the Soviet Union. After the Cold War, the U.S. became the main global power. Let’s look at some important changes that happened:

1. Change in Military Spending

• Military Budget: In the 1980s, the U.S. spent about $300 billion on its military. After the Cold War ended, this amount dropped a lot. By 1998, the military budget was around$250 billion.
• NATO Expansion: Countries that were once part of the Warsaw Pact wanted to join NATO. By 2004, seven countries, like Poland and Hungary, became members, making NATO grow to 26 countries.

2. New Focus on Global Problems

• More Involvement in Global Issues: The U.S. started paying more attention to global problems like terrorism, poverty, and sickness. For example, in 2002, the U.S. helped create the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, which increased American support for people in need worldwide.
• Helping Others: The U.S. also took part in humanitarian missions, like in Somalia in 1992 and during the Bosnian War in 1995. This showed that America was serious about promoting peace and protecting human rights.

3. Embracing Teamwork

• Working with Others: The U.S. began to focus more on working with other countries and organizations, especially the United Nations. The number of U.N. peacekeeping missions grew from 12 in 1988 to 34 by 1995.
• Trade Deals: The U.S. started making free trade deals, like NAFTA, which began in 1994. This agreement linked the economies of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico together.

4. Attention to Non-State Groups

• Fighting Terrorism: After the attacks on September 11, 2001, the U.S. had to change its approach to foreign policy. The wars in Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003 showed how the U.S. responded to threats from non-state groups.

In short, the end of the Cold War began a new chapter for American foreign policy. This new approach included less military spending, focusing on global problems beyond just military issues, working with other nations, and dealing with threats from non-state actors.