Ah, but they feared an attack by the warlike NATO and were obliged to build themselves up militarily at the expense of improving themselves economically.
To be fair, look at Russian history. They get invaded by a lot of people that were ostensibly “friendly” or that were a defensive pact.
I was in Seattle in 1990. After the Berlin Wall, but before Yeltsin. But the writing was on the wall for the USSR. A Russian navy ship was docked north of the Public Market. For some reason, the crew could not disembark. But a huge crowd of American had gathered and the sailors and Americans were trading by tossing stuff back and forth. Candy bars, winter jackets, toilet paper would get thrown up over the rail of the ship and sailors would throw Russian stuff back. I bought a new pair of Nikes, threw it up and got a fur lined military cap that I still have. There was a huge amount of good will back then. All squandered now.