How Did The Soviet Union Come To Power

Soviet Union’s Sphere of Influence
In order for the Soviet Union to expand their sphere of influence to become a superpower in the 20th century they gave money, weapons, and physically occupied countries. Since they wanted territory, they gave Cuba missiles so they could fight the United States, and supported them economically. They invaded Afghanistan because they wanted oil, materials, location, and trade ports. Finally, they wanted the Eastern Bloc as a buffer and wanted their materials. To achieve this buffer zone the Soviets established their presence and secured Communist governments there. Since the Soviet Union wanted territory, they provided military, economic and political assistance to Cuba to get Cuba’s territory. The Soviets gave Cuba missiles so the Cubans could fight the United States. This resulted in the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Soviet Union had a military influence over them, so “Khrushchev secretly began to build 42 missile sites in Cuba” (Littell, 551). Because the Soviets placed missiles in Cuba, Cuba became part of their sphere of influence. Also, the Soviets wanted Cuba for their territory, and materials. They “agreed to buy Cuban sugar …show more content…
The Soviets wanted Afghanistan to be apart of their sphere of influence so they sent thousands of troops there and “immediately assumed complete military and political control of Kabul and large portions of the country” (Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs,1). Afghanistan’s reforms changed when the Soviets took over. Instead of allowing then more freedom they limited freedoms, angering many. From the “Soviet involvement in Afghanistan, the United States imposed a grain embargo on the Soviet Union and boycotted the Summer Olympics” (Zickel,5-6). Tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union were always high, and Afghanistan becoming a sphere of influence for the Soviets increased that horrid