481) and the judicial branch can limit policy decisions through court rulings (Garvey). Other agencies involved in foreign policy making include, "the Department of State, National Security Council, intelligence community, and [the] Department of Defense" (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt pg. 478). These agencies are involved in foreign affairs by supervising U.S. relations with other nations, advising the president regarding foreign affairs, gathering information, and unifying the branches of the military (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt 479). Ultimately, foreign policy usually originates with the president; however, other agencies in the executive branch play key roles in the formation of policies, and the legislative and judicial branches can limit the power of the president in regards to foreign policy. Moreover, foreign policy is a critical element of government, and is important worldwide. Russia is one of many countries the U.S. has to contend with in regards to foreign policy. The U.S. has had conflicts with Russia historically during the reign of the Soviet Union, and more recently has battled to maintain a peaceful …show more content…
and the Soviet Union have a long history of struggling between alliance and contention. According to Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt, Tensions between the West and the Soviet Union began shortly following the end of World War II (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt 483). Slowly, the Soviet Union helped to generate communist governments across Eastern Europe (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt 483). In response to the threat of the Soviet Union, the U.S. prompted the rearming of Western Europe. This eventually led to the beginning of the cold war (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt 483). During the cold war, the United State 's foreign policy took a focus of avoiding the spread of communism and avoiding nuclear conflict. In 1947, President Harry Truman developed a containment policy, now known as the Truman Doctrine, the focus of which was to avoid the spread on communism and later the same year stood behind the Marshall Plan the purpose of which was also to contain communism (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt 483). Two years later, in order to have a feasible response to any Soviet attack, the United States entered into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt 483). The tension reached its height when the Soviets placed missiles in Cuba and eventually ships near Cuban waters (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt 485). After the Soviet Union and the United States negotiated back and forth, the ships were finally withdrawn (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt 485). The Soviet