They were kind of poor, but had almost everything they needed to survive.
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The Cold War was a period in history in which the Soviet Union and the United States (along with their respective allies) engaged in an ideological and geopolitical struggle for global influence. While the United States argued that its main objective was to spread democracy all over the world, I believe that the politics of this time were mainly dominated by a desire to be the most influential country in the world.
This is supported by the fact that many of the decisions that the United States made during this time period seem motivated more by a desire to compete with the Soviet Union than to benefit other countries. For example, the Space Race had no impact on democracy abroad. Nevertheless, it was an essential component of the Cold War and of gaining preeminence over the Soviet Union. Similarly, rivalry in sports and nuclear arsenal development are more closely related to a struggle for geopolitical influence than a desire to spread democracy.
