The relationship between the U.S. and the Soviets was shaped by an intricate interplay of economic, political, and ideological factors, which resulted in the change between vigilant collaboration and often vicious superpower competition. Diverse variances in the political structures exhibited in the two nations averted them from striking a common understanding on key policy matters as demonstrated in the Cuban missile crisis that almost lead to conflict.
The foundation of U.S. fears began when the Soviet leaders took out Russia from First World War while being opposed to their communist ideologies. Moreover, the U.S. had long been cautious of the Soviet’s practice of communism as well as reservation about Joseph Stalin’s dictatorial rule (Library of Congress Para 2). Contrarily, the Soviets begrudged the United States’ decade-long negation to recognize the Soviet Union as an authentic part of the global community. The U.S. government and residents alike feared nuclear confrontation with the Soviets, making the U.S. anxious that Soviet espionage was working within their administration.
Major cultural products of the Cold War were portrayed in movies, music, television, and books as well as other events such as sports. The key elements of the war encompassed espionage, annihilation, and the assumed risk of nuclear conflict. The various cultural products captured the theme of polarization in various ways such as creating us-versus-them. For example, Cloak and dagger fictional narratives formed part of the pop culture in the Cold War era. Movies and novels demonstrated polarization by displaying how the world was unsafe.
The theme of us-versus-them is still visible in many spheres of contemporary society. Two theories relating to competition and self-identity have been used to explain us-versus-them stories. For instance, us-versus-them approach is observable in sporting activities, team-based events, and other extents in life such as polarizing political rhetoric (Emamzadeh Para 2). Regarding popular culture, Americans’ can for instance, view their music as the best compared to others across the world.
In conclusion, the nature of the relationship that existed between the Soviets and the U.S was that of West-East polarization. Following the end of the Second World War, the U.S. and the Soviets emerged as superpowers with different global and ideological interests. The period began from rivalry and mutual distrust and lead to ideological differences, threats of conflict, an arms race, and occasional misunderstandings dubbed the Cold War.
Works Cited
Emamzadeh, Arash. “The Psychology of Us-vs-Them” Psychology Today. 2019. Web.
Library of Congress. “Revelations from the Russian Archives: The Soviet Union and the United States” Library of Congress, n.d. Web.