The USSR was always a threat to the west because the communists knew that the people who bank rolled the bolsheviks to start with would bank roll the demise of the USSR if it suited their purposes. That meant the the USSR knew how the west played the game and that strength alone could ensure survival. Imagine what they thought when a US president extended the hand of peace to them and the establishment blew his cotton pickin' head off. So are Russians paranoid? They'd be stupid if they weren't after three centuries of "The Great Game".
By the way, after the USSR folded the rumors came out about the Romanov gold that the west had wanted... that before the royals were taken prisoners and murdered it was placed in safe keeping hidden away from the communists and has now been returned to the lawful government of Russia. So in some ways perhaps the last czar had the last laugh because he hit them where it hurts, the money. I'll bet Kipling could have contrived a good read from that episode.
By the way, after the USSR folded the rumors came out about the Romanov gold that the west had wanted... that before the royals were taken prisoners and murdered it was placed in safe keeping hidden away from the communists and has now been returned to the lawful government of Russia. So in some ways perhaps the last czar had the last laugh because he hit them where it hurts, the money. I'll bet Kipling could have contrived a good read from that episode.
