ABSTRACT
I would like to start with expressing my gratitude to Dr. Van Oudenaren for his paper which, in my view, is extremely interesting and stimulating. Certainly, his task was not easy. He had not only fully summarized the U.S. policy towards the Soviet Union since the Second World War, but he had also done it in accordance with the topic of our Conference. This obviously demanded considerable efforts. As a result, we now have a very serious analysis of the post-war American decisions and practical actions, directly or indirectly, as related to the U.S.S.R. Of course, this gives us a better understanding of the perceptions which are behind many of such actions and decisions.
