Throughout most of the second half of the twentieth century, the two prevailing states in the world by far were the United States of America (formed in 1783) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (formed in 1917). The two federations were considered world superpowers. Faced with the threat of growing Japanese, German and Italian fascism and fearing a world war, the Western Allies, and the Soviet Union made an alliance of necessity during World War Two. As ‘the two nations had long been at odds’ the alliance between the USA and USSR was short-lived. All what gathered them was simply a common enemy and, in reality, the two countries had never confidence in each other. After the Axis (Germany and its key allies (Italy and Japan)) was
