How did the united states and the soviet union come to be known as super powers?

The term "super power" is a term in international relations and politics that is used to describe a state or states in the international system that have the most or are among the most powerful states in the system. During the Cold War the United States and the Soviet Union became super powers due to their economic and military power in the international system relative to one another and relative to the other countries in the system as well. 

Increased armies to ridiculous proportions in the Cold War