By joining a bloc they were taking sides in the conflict and thus making themselves targets of the other side. Those who didn't join the Soviet bloc we generally left alone. (However, the Soviets didn't leave alone those who didn't join our bloc!)
Freely joining with some other party is no justification for violent attack.
Joining a side in a war is.
Trying to defend yourself from US violence and attack is not a justification for it.
Except they weren't being attacked unless they joined.
Nations had the absolute right to join up with the Soviets. It was no justification to attack anybody.
The US and Russia were in a cold war. The allies of the other side are a valid target.
That the US had to attack people and violently pull them from having relations with the Soviets shows how pathetic the US side was.
No, what's pathetic is the USSR going after neutral nations such as Vietnam and Afghanistan.
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Nothing voluntary about having no choice but to submit.
Voluntary would mean having a choice and making the choice to be some cog in a dictatorial scheme.
Nobody chooses that willingly.
Many choose to work for somebody else so they can concentrate on what they are good at rather than having to worry about obtaining clients and all the other such things one must do when working for oneself.