--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the United States worked to contain…" description: "\"When the United States worked to contain the Soviet Union during the Cold War, we went to enormous lengths to get as many countries on the planet as po..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/john-mearsheimer-3817_cold_when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain_121301.jpg" --- # When the United States worked to contain the Soviet Union… ![“When the United States worked to contain the Soviet Union during the Cold War, we went to enormous lengths to get as many countries on the planet as possible on our side of the ledger, balancing with us against the Soviet Union.” quote by John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/john-mearsheimer-3817_cold_when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain_121301.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/john-mearsheimer-3817_cold_when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain_121301.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/john-mearsheimer-3817_cold_when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain_121301.jpg) > “When the United States worked to contain the Soviet Union during the Cold War, we went to enormous lengths to get as many countries on the planet as possible on our side of the ledger, balancing with us against the Soviet Union.” [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. During the Cold War, the US pursued a strategy of global alignment, seeking to bring as many nations as possible into its sphere to counter Soviet influence. **In simple terms:** The US tried to gather worldwide allies against the USSR. Key Takeaway Geopolitical power is reinforced by broad coalition building. Themes Cold War geopolitics alliances Mood analytical historical Type political analysis historical commentary When to use this quote - Diplomatic negotiations - Military base placement - International aid programs - UN voting blocs Key Concepts balance of power strategic competition Practical Applications - Cultivate multilateral partnerships - Leverage economic incentives Questions to Reflect On - What are the limits of coalition‑building? - How do modern alliances differ from Cold‑War patterns? A Different Perspective Overextension can strain resources and provoke backlash from non‑aligned states. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Cold war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-war/) [Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet/) [Soviet union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-union/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [It was one thing to contain the Soviet Union in Europe because Britain, France, and Germany were all willing to join in. But will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-p-huntington/it-was-one-thing-to-contain-the-soviet-union-in-europe-because/) [Samuel P. Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-p-huntington/) > [Now that the Cold War is over with, it's kind of hard to take the Soviet Union seriously. We won, period. We ran them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/now-that-the-cold-war-is-over-with-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-take-the/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [There are historic examples where a soft domination of certain states worked well. 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We still have alliances throughout Asia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-gutzman/in-fact-we-haven-t-ever-really-recalibrated-our-foreign-policy/) [Kevin Gutzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-gutzman/) > [It has always struck me as the world's great fortune that the two great superpowers were the United States and the Soviet Union, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/it-has-always-struck-me-as-the-world-s-great-fortune-that-the-two/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [I remember when the Cold War ended, how quickly the United States was swept by a nationalistic fervor and turned against Saddam Hussein. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-zweig/i-remember-when-the-cold-war-ended-how-quickly-the-united-states-was/) [Connie Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-zweig/) > [After the Cold War ended, there was an agreement between the former Soviet Union and America to convert weapons-grade nuclear materials into reactor-grade materials.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-eisenhower/after-the-cold-war-ended-there-was-an-agreement-between-the-former/) [Susan Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-eisenhower/) > [Even now, the irony that so non-intellectual a man should choose to engage the Soviet Union on the battlefield of ideas has eluded most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-perle/even-now-the-irony-that-so-non-intellectual-a-man-should-choose-to/) [Richard Perle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-perle/) > [When I used to theorize about a nuclear standoff, I didn't really have to understand what was happening inside the Soviet Union. 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William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [Already liberals are trying to rewrite the history of the Cold War to remove Reagan from its core, to make him a doddering B-movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/already-liberals-are-trying-to-rewrite-the-history-of-the-cold-war-to/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [The Cold War philosophy of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD), which prevented the former Soviet Union and the United States from using the nuclear weapons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lewis/the-cold-war-philosophy-of-mutual-assured-destruction-mad-which/) [Bernard Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lewis/) ## More by John Mearsheimer > [Since the mid-1990s, Russian leaders have adamantly opposed NATO enlargement, and in recent years, they have made it clear that they would not stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/since-the-mid-1990s-russian-leaders-have-adamantly-opposed-nato/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [The unpleasant truth is that some borders are untenable and preserving them causes conflict, not peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/the-unpleasant-truth-is-that-some-borders-are-untenable-and/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [Decapitation is a fanciful strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/decapitation-is-a-fanciful-strategy/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [Great powers react harshly when distant rivals project military power into their neighborhood, much less attempt to make a country on their border an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/great-powers-react-harshly-when-distant-rivals-project-military-power/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [I hate sleeping in the woods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/i-hate-sleeping-in-the-woods/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [The central aim of American foreign policy has traditionally been to dominate the western hemisphere while not permitting another great power to dominate Europe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/the-central-aim-of-american-foreign-policy-has-traditionally-been-to/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [Nuclear weapons are the ideal middle-class weapons for Americans. 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He'd be drinking tea and relaxing beforehand. Me? I'd probably be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neymar/of-course-messi-could-handle-a-cold-tuesday-night-in-stoke-he-d-be/) [Neymar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neymar/) > [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/) [Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/) > [You start playing when it's cold and you want to be playing when it's cold again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimy-williams/you-start-playing-when-it-s-cold-and-you-want-to-be-playing-when-it-s/) Jimy Williams > [It would be a piece of ingenuousness to accuse the man of today of his lack of moral code. The accusation would leave him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/it-would-be-a-piece-of-ingenuousness-to-accuse-the-man-of-today-of/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [I would have touched it like a child But knew my finger could but have touched Cold stone and water. I grew wild, Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/i-would-have-touched-it-like-a-child-but-knew-my-finger-could-but/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [What's to become of the morally sound? Left out in the cold, I suppose. We must heal the sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/what-s-to-become-of-the-morally-sound-left-out-in-the-cold-i-suppose/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [When I first started, all the reviews of Cold Chisel would say, 'This singer won't have a voice in six months.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/when-i-first-started-all-the-reviews-of-cold-chisel-would-say-this/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [One of the problems trying to play an instrument outside in the cold is your fingers give up on you and you can't wear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-macdonald/one-of-the-problems-trying-to-play-an-instrument-outside-in-the-cold/) [Amy Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-macdonald/) > [God tempers the cold to the shorn sheep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-etienne-sainte-claire-deville/god-tempers-the-cold-to-the-shorn-sheep/) Henri Etienne Sainte-Claire Deville > [Those nights lying alone are not discontinuous with this cold hectic dawn. It is who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/those-nights-lying-alone-are-not-discontinuous-with-this-cold-hectic/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) [Browse all 5,381 Cold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When the United States worked to contain the Soviet Union during the Cold War, we went to enormous lengths to get as many countries on the planet as possible on our side of the ledger, balancing with us against the Soviet Union.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Mearsheimer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain-the-soviet-union-during-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cold" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain-the-soviet-union-during-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/john-mearsheimer-3817_cold_when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain_121301.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/john-mearsheimer-3817_cold_when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain_121301.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/john-mearsheimer-3817_cold_when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain_121301.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When the United States worked to contain the Soviet Union during the Cold War, we went to enormous lengths…” — John Mearsheimer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Mearsheimer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When the United States worked to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain-the-soviet-union-during-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/when-the-united-states-worked-to-contain-the-soviet-union-during-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```