In this case, Mueller’s argument that spring 1989, prior to the Eastern European revolutions, marked the end of the Cold War seems valid, as by this time the Soviet Union had abandoned its ideological struggle, and the US and its bloc no longer had to concern themselves with Soviet expansionism (Mueller 609). As the USSR never retook to its previous efforts to expand communism to other countries following this time, the Cold War effectively ended following the end of expansionary efforts. However, some during this time may have only viewed the end of the Soviet Union itself, in 1991, to have given a sense of complete finality Cold War’s end. So, while the Cold War ended in retrospect in early 1989, the assurance of its finality for some would not be felt until 1991. Even with these divergent dates and other disagreements as to the precise dating of the conflict’s end (Brown 2007, 241), it should remain clear the conclusion of the Cold War was roughly between 1988-1991.…