What event marked the official end of the Cold War?

The fall of the Berlin Wall is widely recognized as a significant event marking the official end of the Cold War. This event occurred on November 9, 1989, and symbolized the collapse of Communist control in Eastern Europe and the broader ideological conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Berlin Wall had been a powerful symbol of the division between the capitalist West and the communist East, and its fall signaled not only the reunification of Germany but also the weakening hold of Soviet influence across Eastern Europe.

Following the wall's fall, there was a swift series of political changes in Eastern Europe, leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union itself in 1991. This transformation established a new geopolitical landscape and is often viewed by historians as the definitive conclusion of the Cold War hostilities. The event had profound implications for international relations, resulting in a transition towards more democratic governance and market-oriented economies in former communist states.

While other choices represent significant historical events, none encapsulate the end of the Cold War in the same way as the fall of the Berlin Wall, which directly contributed to the subsequent events that concluded the era of Cold War conflict.