Case study of apparently sowiet (U.S.S.R.) tactical advantages during cold war (20th century)

After world war II the so called cold war between USA vs. USSR dominated farly political and geostrategic focus. 

This article focuses on Soviet tactical and strategic advantages.

But I ask you to carefully consider the impact of the US backlashes,
which I intentionally don't emphasized.

Phase I: Division of states

For the Soviets, the division of states was an ideal instrument of direct pressure on allies of the US.

I would call it "far near fear". The far fear of communism and a global conflict became sometimes very near. 

Sovjets forced USA to react to their actions, see Berlin Blockade  

Speach of JKF in West Berlin: Ich bin ein Berliner.

Germany

    Source: geschichte-abitur.de

Korea

Source: Wikimedia

Sputnik Crisis: Demonstrating technological advantage

Sputnik crisis was a symbolic act to demonstrate the advantage of USSR in space technology. Many people only remember the creation of NASA as countermeasure, but mostley forget another;Founding of DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) who emerged ARPANET, origin of entire internet today.

Cuba Crisis: Ability to critically hit an unshielded opponent 

The cuba crisis seemed to be first a tatical victory for the Sovjets. Deployment of short and medium ranged missiles on Cuba seemed like a total tactical advantage over the USA. (Counterstriking the enemy critically, even in case of first strike by US.)

Screenshot of Google Maps

An effictive blockade of Cuba and great skills of JFK neutralized  tactical superiority of USSR so far. US agreed to dismantle Jupiter nuclear missiles from Turkey:

Source: de.wikipedia.org

Counter measures against civil protests: Tanks, tanks, tanks

Tanks (Hungarian Revolution 1956), tanks (Prague Spring) and tanks (? guess who and where)?

 

Tanks in russian capital Moscow for coup d'etat

Last time I remember tanks in capital moscow occured 1991 during Soviet coup d'etat attempt.

Source: Wikimedia

Outlook in 21st century

Danger of Soviet block doesn't exist anymore in the old manner of cold war in 21st century, but I 've an intense feeling that a stable multilateral new world order was not created  out of a fair process within national constituted assemblies. The expectation that liberal democracies and global corporations would have been a possible future seems less possible than it 10-20 years ago.