<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Diplomatic Mission </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Soviet Embassy, Washington, D.C. </Th> <Td> United States Embassy, Moscow </Td> </Tr> <P> The relations between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922--1991) succeeded the previous relations from 1776 to 1917 and predate today's relations that began in 1992 . Full diplomatic relations between the two countries were established late due to mutual hostility . During World War II, the two countries were briefly allies . At the end of the war, the first signs of post-war mistrust and hostility began to appear between the two countries, escalating into the Cold War; a period of tense hostile relations, with periods of détente . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Common name </Th> <Th> Soviet Union </Th> <Th> United States </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Official name </Th> <Th> Union of Soviet Socialist Republics </Th> <Th> United States of America </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Coat of arms </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Flag </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Area </Td> <Td> 22,402,200 km2 (8,649,538 sq mi) </Td> <Td> 9,526,468 km2 (3,794,101 sq mi) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Population </Td> <Td> 293,047,571 (1991) </Td> <Td> 252,127,402 (1991) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Population density </Td> <Td> 13.1 / km2 (33.9 / sq mi) </Td> <Td> 33.7 / km2 (87.4 / sq mi) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Capital </Td> <Td> Moscow </Td> <Td> Washington, D.C. </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Largest metropolitan areas </Td> <Td> Moscow </Td> <Td> New York City </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Government </Td> <Td> Federal Marxist--Leninist one - party socialist state </Td> <Td> Federal presidential constitutional republic two - party system </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Political parties </Td> <Td> Communist Party of the Soviet Union </Td> <Td> Democratic Party Republican Party </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Most common language </Td> <Td> Russian </Td> <Td> English </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> GDP (nominal) </Td> <Td> $2.9 trillion (~ $9,896 per capita) </Td> <Td> $5.2 trillion (~ $20,624 per capita) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Intelligence agencies </Td> <Td> Committee for State Security (KGB) </Td> <Td> Central Intelligence Agency </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Military expenditures </Td> <Td> $290 billion (1990) </Td> <Td> $409.7 billion (1990) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Navy size </Td> <Td> Soviet Navy (1990) <Ul> <Li> 63 ballistic missiles submarines </Li> <Li> 72 cruise missiles submarines </Li> <Li> 64 nuclear attack submarines </Li> <Li> 65 conventional attack submarines </Li> <Li> 9 auxiliary submarines </Li> <Li> 6 aircraft carriers </Li> <Li> 4 battle cruisers </Li> <Li> 30 cruisers </Li> <Li> 45 destroyers </Li> <Li> 113 frigates </Li> <Li> 124 corvettes </Li> <Li> 35 amphibious warfare ships </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> US Navy (1990) <Ul> <Li> 36 ballistic missiles submarines </Li> <Li> 89 attack submarines </Li> <Li> 17 aircraft carriers </Li> <Li> 4 battleships </Li> <Li> 42 cruisers </Li> <Li> 52 destroyers </Li> <Li> 103 frigates </Li> <Li> 67 amphibious warfare ships </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Air force size </Td> <Td> Soviet Air Force (1990) <Ul> <Li> 435 bombers </Li> <Li> 5665 fighters / attacks </Li> <Li> 1015 reconnaissance </Li> <Li> 84 tankers </Li> <Li> 620 transports </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> US Air Force (1990) <Ul> <Li> 327 bombers </Li> <Li> 4155 fighters / attacks </Li> <Li> 533 reconnaissance </Li> <Li> 618 tankers </Li> <Li> 1295 transports </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nuclear warheads (total) </Td> <Td> 37,000 (1990) </Td> <Td> 10,904 (1990) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Economic alliance </Td> <Td> Comecon </Td> <Td> European Economic Community Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Military alliance </Td> <Td> Warsaw Pact </Td> <Td> NATO </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Countries allied during the Cold War </Td> <Td> Warsaw Pact: <Ul> <Li> Albania (until 1961) </Li> <Li> Bulgaria </Li> <Li> Czechoslovakia </Li> <Li> East Germany </Li> <Li> Hungary </Li> <Li> Poland </Li> <Li> Romania </Li> </Ul> <P> Soviet Republics seat in the United Nations: </P> <Ul> <Li> Byelorussia </Li> <Li> Ukraine </Li> </Ul> <P> Baltic States as Soviet Republics: </P> <Ul> <Li> Estonia </Li> <Li> Latvia </Li> <Li> Lithuania </Li> </Ul> <P> Other Soviet Socialist Republics: </P> <Ul> <Li> Russian SFSR </Li> <Li> Uzbekistan </Li> <Li> Kazakhstan </Li> <Li> Georgia </Li> <Li> Azerbaijan </Li> <Li> Moldavia </Li> <Li> Kirghizia </Li> <Li> Armenia </Li> <Li> Tajikistan </Li> <Li> Turkmenia </Li> </Ul> <P> Other allies: </P> <Ul> <Li> Algeria </Li> <Li> Afghanistan (1979--1991) </Li> <Li> Angola </Li> <Li> Bangladesh (1972--1976) </Li> <Li> Benin </Li> <Li> China, People's Republic of (1949 - 1971) </Li> <Li> Congo </Li> <Li> Cuba </Li> <Li> Ethiopia (1974--1987) </Li> <Li> Ethiopia (1987--1991) </Li> <Li> Ghana </Li> <Li> Grenada (1979--1983) </Li> <Li> Iraq </Li> <Li> PR Kampuchea (1979--1989) </Li> <Li> Laos </Li> <Li> Libya </Li> <Li> Madagascar </Li> <Li> Mali </Li> <Li> Mongolia </Li> <Li> Mozambique </Li> <Li> Nicaragua </Li> <Li> North Korea </Li> <Li> Palestine (from 1988) </Li> <Li> Somalia (until 1977) </Li> <Li> Syria </Li> <Li> Togo </Li> <Li> Vietnam (North Vietnam until 1976) </Li> <Li> South Yemen </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> NATO: <Ul> <Li> Belgium </Li> <Li> Canada </Li> <Li> Denmark </Li> <Li> France </Li> <Li> West Germany </Li> <Li> Greece </Li> <Li> Italy </Li> <Li> Luxembourg </Li> <Li> Netherlands </Li> <Li> Norway </Li> <Li> Portugal </Li> <Li> Spain </Li> <Li> Turkey </Li> <Li> United Kingdom </Li> </Ul> <P> Status of the Baltic States during occupation: </P> <Ul> <Li> Estonia </Li> <Li> Latvia </Li> <Li> Lithuania </Li> </Ul> <P> Other allies: </P> <Ul> <Li> Albania (after 1961, part - time ally) </Li> <Li> Argentina </Li> <Li> Australia </Li> <Li> Bahrain </Li> <Li> Brazil </Li> <Li> Byelorussia (in - exile) </Li> <Li> Bolivia </Li> <Li> Botswana </Li> <Li> Kingdom of Cambodia (1953--70) </Li> <Li> Chile </Li> <Li> China, People's Republic of (from 1972) </Li> <Li> Cuba (until 1959) </Li> <Li> Cyprus </Li> <Li> Ethiopia (until 1974) </Li> <Li> Guinea </Li> <Li> Indonesia </Li> <Li> Iran (until 1979) </Li> <Li> Israel </Li> <Li> Japan </Li> <Li> Jordan </Li> <Li> Democratic Kampuchea in - exile </Li> <Li> Kenya </Li> <Li> Khmer Republic (1970--1975) </Li> <Li> Kuwait </Li> <Li> Laos (until 1975) </Li> <Li> Liberia </Li> <Li> Malaysia </Li> <Li> Mexico </Li> <Li> Morocco </Li> <Li> New Zealand </Li> <Li> Oman </Li> <Li> Pakistan </Li> <Li> Paraguay </Li> <Li> Philippines </Li> <Li> Poland (in exile) </Li> <Li> Qatar </Li> <Li> Romania (Warsaw Pact - aligned, part - time ally) </Li> <Li> Saudi Arabia </Li> <Li> Singapore </Li> <Li> South Africa </Li> <Li> South Korea </Li> <Li> South Vietnam (1955--1975) </Li> <Li> Somalia (from 1978) </Li> <Li> Taiwan (Republic of China until 1978) </Li> <Li> Thailand </Li> <Li> Ukraine (in exile) </Li> <Li> United Arab Emirates </Li> <Li> Uruguay </Li> <Li> North Yemen </Li> <Li> Zaire </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Following world war ii a cold war developed between the u.s. and