Not since the cold war...
"Not since the cold war has it been so crucial for global peace for two defence establishments to talk."
(The Economist.)
I've got some problem with determining the exact chronological point of the since-marker in the sentence above. Is it since of the beginning of the cold war or the end of it?
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The sentence in question is in such a context:
On a visit to Washington, dc, in November China’s defence minister, Wei Fenghe, said that communication must be strengthened. It is good that China recognises this. But all too often the country lets pique over unconnected business disrupt military contacts. In 2018 it cancelled multiple high-level talks, including an embryonic dialogue between senior military officers. Not since the cold war has it been so crucial for global peace for two defence establishments to talk.
Top answer
They could just as well have said "not since the days of the cold war". It means the whole cold war.
- They could just as well have said "not since the days of the cold war".
- It means the whole cold war.
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They could just as well have said "not since the days of the cold war". It means the whole cold war.
0tkacka15"Not since the cold war
It means the time starting at the end of the cold war.
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