Why were the USSR and the US involved in developing countries?

The USSR and the US were involved in developing countries primarily due to the Cold War dynamics, where both superpowers sought to expand their influence and promote their ideologies—communism and capitalism, respectively. They provided military, economic, and technical assistance to gain strategic allies and prevent the spread of the opposing ideology. Additionally, involvement in developing nations often included efforts to secure resources, markets, and geopolitical advantages during a time of global competition.