What best describes the relationship between the superpowers and their alliance states?
a. The superpowers were responsible for the development of their alliance states by providing them vital resources, military base, lots of money and gold.
b. The alliance states provided resources, a military base, and economic support to the superpowers.
c. The smaller states joined an alliance in order to become nuclear powers.
d. The alliance states had no rivalries between themselves or their neighbouring states.

b

The correct answer is Option 2 - b

Out of the 4 options given, Statement b "The alliance states provided resources, a military base, and economic support to the superpowers" best describes the relationship between the superpowers and their alliance states.

Relationship between the superpowers and the allies during the Cold War:

One may ask why the superpowers needed any allies at all. After all, with their nuclear weapons and regular armies, they were so powerful that the combined power of most of the smaller states in Asia and Africa, and even in Europe, was no match to that of the superpowers. Yet, the smaller states were helpful for the superpowers in gaining access to:

(i) vital resources, such as oil and minerals,
(ii) territory, from where the superpowers could launch their weapons and troops,
(iii) locations from where they could spy on each other, and
(iv) economic support, in that many small allies together could help pay for military expenses.

They were also important for ideological reasons. The loyalty of allies suggested that the superpowers were winning the war of ideas as well, that liberal democracy and capitalism were better than socialism and communism, or vice versa.