There were a number of reasons that the Roman Empire fell. By the 5th century A.D., the Romans experienced repeated invasions by Germanic tribes who were constantly encroaching on its borders. Internally, the empire suffered from overspending and unfair taxation. Their was also an increasing gulf between the rich and poor. The Romans depended on slaves and the supply significantly declined. These problems were compounded by the rise of the Eastern Roman Empire in Byzantium. At first, it allowed the empire to be administered more efficiently but the two eventually drifted apart due to differences in religious expression and ideology. The two sections also failed to work together to stop outside encroachment. Governmental corruption and instability caused a number of problems as well. The rise of Christianity and the weakening of the military structure has also been viewed as one of the reasons why the Roman Empire fell.
Immediately following World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union entered into a Cold War, so the answer would be "escalating <span>tensions with the Soviet Union"
