America's Foreign Policy Practice Exam 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

The Soviet leadership perceived security threats primarily through the lens of ideological opposition from the West, particularly during the Cold War era. This perspective was rooted in the belief that the capitalist West was inherently antagonistic toward the communist system. The Soviet leadership viewed the Western powers, especially the United States, not only as military rivals but also as profound ideological enemies whose political philosophies posed a direct challenge to the Soviet state and its legitimacy. This led to an emphasis on ensuring the ideological purity of the Soviet Union and establishing a buffer of friendly states around it to counter potential threats.

In contrast, other views, such as regarding economic prosperity or isolationism as means to security, did not fully encapsulate the reasons for the Soviets' heightened sense of threat from the West. While military expansion was part of their strategy, it was driven by the perceived need to counteract the ideological conflict rather than serving as the primary consideration for their security policy.