After the war , Eastern and Central Europe including East Germany and part of Austria was occupied by Red Army according to the Potsdam Conference . Dependent socialist governments were installed in the Eastern Bloc satellite states . Becoming the world 's second nuclear weapons power , the USSR established the Warsaw Pact alliance and entered into a struggle for global dominance , known as the Cold War , with the United States and NATO . The Soviet Union supported revolutionary movements across the world , including the newly formed People 's Republic of China , the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea and , later on , the Republic of Cuba . Significant amounts of Soviet resources were allocated in aid to the other socialist states
Potsdam Conference
Potsdam Conference
Russia