At the end of the 20th century, the United States bestrode the world like a colossus. Unfortunately, that is not quite correct. In truth, the US did not "win"

At the end of the 20th century, the United States bestrode the world like a colossus. Unfortunately, that is not quite correct. In truth, the US did not "win" the Cold War. The Cold War destroyed the economies of BOTH the US and the Soviets. While the Soviets were visibly haemorrhaging money in their own Afghanistan War, the US invisibly went from being the World's greatest creditor nation to being the World's biggest debtor nation in the same period. In reality, the Cold war was a stalemate, a draw. Both sides were out of cash - broke. Because the Soviets had no other source of income, they had to go 'bankrupt' then and there, so to speak. That had the effect of causing a necessary economic restructuring during and after the difficult Yeltsin years, but eventually bringing the Russian (by now) economy into the black again. On the other hand, the US after the Cold War had the misfortune of being able to live life much as it had before by using the lucky circumstance of having the 'credit card' of owning the World's Reserve Currency. The US didn't appear to require economic restructuring because it was still able to pay for stuff, but all the while, that 'credit card' allowed the US's debts to continually increase. A war against Iraq? "Put it on the card." A war against Afghanistan? "Put it on the card." Cheap 70-inch TVs in WalMart? "Put it on the card." Today in 2021, that debt has reached 30 trillion, an absolutely impossible task to be able to restructure away. The US's only prospect now is bankruptcy and hardship. Thirty years after the Cold War, Russia is doing well economically, with a lot of cash reserves. The US, not so much. If we were to re-ask the question "Who won the Cold War" today in 2021, the answer must be 'The Soviets'.