For many years in the early 20th century, two world powers with very different forms of government and economy bred contempt and suspicion toward each other's policies. These opposing forces were the United States of America and the Soviet Union. The United States was a capitalist country, believing in political freedom and democracy. The Soviet Union, on the other hand, was ruled by communism, in which the needs of the individual were subordinated to those …showed first 75 words of 1307 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1307 total…in underdeveloped areas of the world (Heater, 1989: 53). The Cold War was a long, grueling period of time with many incidents and verbal attacks from each side, the United States and the Soviet Union. Three American presidents, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy led the nation through this difficult time. Through their able leadership, sound judgment, and strong decisions, they established themselves as three of the key leaders of the Cold War.