there was a significant war going on someplace around the globe pretty much constantly. The cold war divided the globe up into two neat camps, while at the same time encouraging the major players to avoid direct conflict.

I think I know what you mean, but I can't quite agree.

But I don't think it changed much for anybody other than us, and our immediate allies and first world countries.

Africa? Been fighting the whole time. India? Pakistan? Middle East? South America? Central America? Lots of fighting there....

It didn't quietly divide. There were proxy wars, but the wars were going to be fought anyway, for the most part - and plenty of wars started without any help from either US or USSR.

Addison