Question

What were the practical consequences for the different foreign policy interests of the U.S. and the Soviet Union? (8.01)

Answer 1

One consequence was the support of particularly brutal and morally questionable puppets representing governments friendly to either side. Both the Soviets and the US, during the Cold War, made it a point to contain each others' influence across the globe by courting foreign governments and aiding certain groups through money, weapons, and intelligence.

But as to how those individuals managed their countries or were as people, both nations often turned a blind eye to their activities as long as they were playing for their "team." Dictators were supported by both. For example, Saddam Hussein was, at one point, aided by the United States during his war against Iran since Iran was viewed as an extremely hostile nation to their interests at the time.

The military-industrial budgets of both nations had also skyrocketed as both embarked on a policy of rampant militarization, especially under Ronald Reagan (and which Eisenhower had warned against decades earlier). The US literally outspent the Soviets and the Soviets in-turn wrecked their own economy in trying to keep up, all as part of Cold War competition and the policies driving both nations to push past the other around the globe.

Even today, we're still seeing the effects of the Cold War. Cuba's economy continues to struggle without the Soviet Union to help it or other nations like it. North and South Korea continue to be divided at the 38th parallel. And other countries are still trying to define themselves after the Cold War had divided much of the world into one side or the other.