While the capitalist powers fought to see which set of gangsters and robbers would hold the most economic territory and colonies, it was the working masses who paid the horrible price. These 2 superpowers militarized the entire world, instigated regional, proxy wars and tried to impose a regime of nuclear blackmail on the peoples. But even while U.S. imperialism tries to keep its allies under its hegemony, the contradictions and rivalries keep breaking to the surface. For the last 10 years, the turmoil, the disintegration and wars in the former Yugoslavia are directly linked with the rivalries of the various imperialist powers. The growing integration of the European Community, the creation of the euro and the new EU military forces reflect the growing rivalry and struggle within U.S. imperialism's core NATO alliance.
Struggles keep breaking out over trade barriers and currency flows, etc.
At same time, sharp contradictions continue to exist with Russia, China and other countries. Already the intensifying rivalries between imperialist powers have fueled the wars in the Persian Gulf and the Balkans. Trying to stop these centrifugal forces from undermining its hegemony, U.S. imperialism's strategy is to foment tensions and militarize every situation in order to insert itself into the equation. Thus, for ten years, U.S. imperialism worked to arm fascist elements on every side of the Balkan conflicts. Yet still, nothing has been resolved and new wars over the division of the Balkans are brewing.