How did the different political systems cause the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union?

There are two different ways to view the Cold War. One is that the Cold War is nothing unique-two very powerful nations were playing the Great Game in search of global domination. Certainly the foreign policy objectives of the USSR were similar to the Russian monarchy-such as an Eastern European buffer zone and a warm-water port not located on the Pacific Rim.

The second way to view the Cold War is as an ideological struggle between two competing world views-capitalist democracy vs. socialist totalitarianism. The Soviets were terrified the West sought to overthrow Communism, and the US and her allies were convinced that the Soviets would spread Communism around the world by whatever means necessary. Both sides were armed with enough nuclear warheads to destroy most of humanity-raising the stakes to an apocalyptic level.

Both sides had the seeds of conflict inherent within their own political systems. In the United States, the fear of the Soviet threat was played up for electoral advantage. John Kennedy won election over Nixon in part by playing up fear of a non-existant "Bomber Gap" and "Missile Gap". Presidents often used fear of Communism to force an agenda through a stale-mated Congress. It was easier to focus on the foreign threat rather than deal with many domestic problems.

The Soviets had another difficult situation-there was never a legal way to transfer power from one leader to the next. Thus, every potential leader had to get support from the military-otherwise there could be a civil war. Hence, the Soviet Army got most of what it wanted. The Soviets were afraid the US would attack. Russia had been invaded by just about everyone over the centuries-including by the US and Great Britain just after WWI. It wasn't until Mikhail Gorbechev came along-who had the backing of the KGB and not the Army, that the cycle of military spending could be broken.

Both sides saw the massive expenditure on arms as a direct threat to themselves.

Beside the ideological struggel, the Soviet Union really wanted to conquer the whole world and extend the communist ideology over all the nations. You still have nations like Cuba and North Korea that the people are living in misery, without any of the basics rights we have here, not being allowed to disent from their regimes under the punishment of jail. Fomenting subversion all over the world, through the leftist parties, offering what they don't give to they own people. And being living like in the 19th century, in the 21st century.

First answer by ID1116547874. Last edit by Trocha. Contributor trust: 54 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 136 [recommend question]