Final answer:
During the Cold War, the United States used a variety of methods against the Soviet Union, such as economic aid, military alliances, and ideological competition, aimed at containing the spread of communism. The U.S. foreign policy focused on preventing Soviet influence beyond Eastern Europe, engaging in proxy wars, and an arms race, including the space race.
Step-by-step explanation:
U.S. Strategies in the Cold War
The United States implemented various strategies during its global struggle against the Soviet Union in the Cold War. These strategies went beyond diplomacy and peaceful negotiations, encompassing a wider range of tactics. The correct answer to what methods the United States used in its global struggle against the Soviet Union is c) Economic aid, military alliances, and ideological competition. As both superpowers aimed to extend their own ideologies and prevent the other from gaining influence, the U.S. adopted policies of containment, supporting wars in opposing nations, engaging in espionage, and forming alliances with countries around the world to deter the spread of communism.
The primary goal of U.S. foreign policy at the beginning of the Cold War was to prevent the Soviet Union from spreading communism outside Eastern Europe, making answer c) correct for this aspect as well. This period also saw intense competition in technology, with the space race reflecting each superpower's desire for scientific supremacy. The Cold War remained 'cold' as it did not lead to direct military confrontation between the two nations, but was marked by proxy wars, nuclear arms build-up, and a struggle for influence over other nations.