In modern world history, which statement best describes the status of the Cold War in the year 1989, when communist rule in Eastern Europe began to collapse?

Introduction / Context:
The year 1989 is widely remembered in world history as a turning point in the long confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union known as the Cold War. Instead of marking the start of that conflict, 1989 symbolised its unwinding, with dramatic political changes sweeping across Eastern Europe. Understanding why 1989 is described as the beginning of the end of the Cold War helps students connect key events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of communist governments to the broader story of superpower rivalry.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The question focuses specifically on the situation in the year 1989.
- The context is the global Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union with their respective allies.
- Students are expected to know major events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and revolutions in Eastern Europe.
- We assume no atomic bomb was used during the Cold War and that the Glorious Revolution refers to an earlier British event in 1688.

Concept / Approach:
To answer this question, we need to match the year 1989 with the correct phase of the Cold War. The Cold War began soon after the Second World War in the late 1940s and lasted until the early 1990s. By 1989, communist regimes in Eastern Europe were losing power, popular protests were spreading, and reform movements were weakening Soviet control, all of which signalled that the decades long confrontation was drawing to a close rather than starting.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Cold War started in the late 1940s, not in 1989, so any option describing this year as the start is inaccurate.Step 2: Remember that no atomic bomb was ever used against the Soviet Union during the Cold War, so any option claiming this for 1989 is historically false.Step 3: Note that the Glorious Revolution refers to events in England in 1688, unrelated to the Cold War period.Step 4: Recognise that 1989 saw events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of several communist governments in Eastern Europe, which historians regard as the beginning of the end of the Cold War.Step 5: Therefore, the statement that 1989 marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War is the most accurate description.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick cross check is to look at approximate bookend dates: the Cold War is generally dated from about 1947 to 1991, when the Soviet Union dissolved. The late 1980s therefore naturally belong to its final stage. Events in 1989, especially the peaceful revolutions in Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia and other states, show a clear decline in Soviet influence, confirming that this year represents the beginning of the end of the conflict rather than its start.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A is wrong because the Cold War started in the late 1940s after the Second World War, not in 1989. Option C is incorrect since no atomic bomb was ever dropped on the Soviet Union during the Cold War and 1989 has no such event. Option D is wrong because the Glorious Revolution occurred in 1688 in England and has nothing to do with the Cold War or the events of 1989.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the end of a conflict with a single dramatic event, expecting a formal treaty or a specific date. In the case of the Cold War, the process was gradual, and 1989 stands out not because of a single agreement but because of a cascade of political changes that clearly signalled the decline of Soviet power. Another common error is mixing up historical revolutions, such as the Glorious Revolution or the Russian Revolution, with Cold War developments.

Final Answer:
The most accurate statement is that 1989 marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War, as communist regimes in Eastern Europe collapsed.