Russo-United States relations
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Russia and the United States of America have had diplomatic relations since the 1800's and have been major players in world affairs post-World War 2. They have never directly engaged in war against each other though they have had intensely conflicting interests.
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[edit] 19th century
During the 19th century, Russian and American frontiers met in Alaska. Russia had colonized Alaska, but Imperial Russia had already overextended themselves. In 1867, most of Alaska was sold to the United States.
The United States claimed Wrangel Island, Herald Island, Bennet Island, Jennetta Island, and Henrietta Island in 1881.
[edit] 1900 to 1918
In 1900, Russia and America were allied during the Boxer Rebellion. They defeated the Boxer rebels in the Qing Empire. Russia had occupied Manchuria at this time.
During World War I, the United States allied with Russia in 1917.
The Russian Civil War started in 1918, and the Americans aided the anti-communists forces, however, they failed and the Soviet Union was established.
[edit] Early Soviet Union
The United States viewed the Soviet Union as a pariah state during its nascent years and did not extend full diplomatic relations until 1933, the last Western power to do so. But when Germany invaded the Soviet Union during World War II, most Americans became sympathetic to the Soviet cause. When America joined the war in December 1941, $11,000,000,000 in Lend Lease aid was allocated to the Soviet Union. An alliance between the Soviet Union, the United States, and United Kingdom led to the defeat of Nazi Germany.
[edit] Cold War
See Main article: Cold War
The end of World War II saw the resurfacing of previous divisions between the two nations. The expansion of Soviet influence into Eastern Europe following Germany's defeat worried the liberal democracies of the west, particularly the United States, which had established virtual economic and political primacy in Western Europe. The two nations promoted two opposing economic and political ideologies and the two nations competed for international influence along these lines. This protracted a geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle--lasting from about 1947 to the period leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union on December 25, 1991--is known as the Cold War.
The Soviet Union detonated its first atomic weapon in 1949, ending the United States' monopoly on nuclear weapons. The United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a conventional and nuclear arms race that persisted until the collapse of the Soviet Union.
[edit] Russian Federation
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, relations between the two nations have improved.
In 1990, the Soviet Union and United States agreed on a common maritime border which denied the claim of the United States to five islands it claimed in 1881 and also to three small islands acquired in the Alaskan Purchase. This treaty has not yet been ratified though it serves as the boundary in everyday life.
Currently, George W. Bush of the United States, and Vladimir Putin have a very close relationship. George Bush's even has a nickname for Putin: "Pootie-Poot" (see also: List of nicknames used by George W. Bush). Relations took a nose-dive on May 4, 2006, when U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney made a speech denouncing Russia in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius.
