Introduction
There has always been enough complexity to research the relationship between the US and Russia. This is due to the numerous history of partnership relations between countries; however, particular emphasis is placed on the study of the reasons why two giants from allies turned into enemies. Therefore, the twentieth century played a unique role in which relations between the United States and Russia soured to a large extent. The Cold War was important, as were factors such as lack of trust, the arms race, the Caribbean crisis, and ideological differences.
Factors of Tensions Between the United States and Russia
The first and most significant reason was the Cold War between America and the former USSR, later Russia. This period occurred from 1947-1991 and “was replete with instances of continuity in human affairs” (Fink 10). The confrontation took place in the political, social, military, economic, and ideological spheres of the countries’ lives, and the reason was the development of a US plan to attack the territories of the USSR. The other consequences of this event include the loss of trust in the two powers.
The third reason was the arms race, in which countries fought for leadership in the quantity and quality of military equipment and structures. Various ideologies were the fourth factor contributing to the deterioration of relations between the powers. Hence, Churchill, in the middle of the twentieth century, announced that the United States should unite to fight communism and proclaimed the central ideology in Russia, the former USSR. The last but no less important reason was the 1962 Caribbean crisis (Carradice 5). Due to the desire of the USSR to gain an advantage over the United States, the confrontation almost became the result of an armed conflict.
Conclusion
In conclusion, in the twentieth century, the relationship between the United States of America and Russia, the former USSR, was characterized by tension. To a large extent, this was the result of the Cold War, which lasted from the middle to the end of this time. Other factors that influenced the deterioration of relations between the countries were the low level of trust, the desire to surpass the enemy in the armed forces, and the confrontation of ideological ideas and interests. Another severe factor was the Caribbean crisis, which was under threat of igniting a new military confrontation between the United States and the USSR.
Works Cited
Carradice, Phil. The Cuban Missile Crisis: Thirteen Days on an Atomic Knife Edge, 1962. Pen and Sword, 2017.
Fink, Carole K. Cold War: An International History. Routledge, 2018.