what makes a cold war, a cold war

 lack of war.

okay, okay, this sounds stupid, but let me explain.

We've only had one, widely recognized, cold war, in our history. As such, we need to take our main lessons from that 'conflict'. 

the TLDR of the conflict was that the US and USSR opposed one another, but didn't directly have a 'total war' war with one another.

When did the war start. Was it in 1919 when the USSR was 'founded'? No. Most literature says it started in 1949. Some might say in 1945, others in 1947, but 1949 seems the more popular option. What happened in 1949? The berlin airlift.

I could go into detail of what exactly the berlin airlift was, but, I'll summarize it instead:

It was an event where the US and USSR almost went to war. But didn't. 

To TLDR the entire above; a cold war is when you almost go to war, but don't go to war. 

Or

Lack of war. 

So. Why am I making this post? China. And the USA.

Are they in a cold war?

No.

Why not?

There's yet to be an event where they almost go to war, but don't go to war. 

So what are we in?

Pre-war. Pre-cold war.

Just as 1938 was "Pre WW2", and, everyone knew WW2 was coming, we are in the "pre" period to the second cold war. 

We are just waiting for that triggering "spark" that turns this from a pre cold war, into a cold war.