That is the real pain in ME!
I do that mistake too... And I'm playing ME for the 5:th year!A friend gave me an advice once:
Put the map in front of you. To the right, USSR. To the left NATO.
East and West. Simple. (Him and I was studying warhistory)
Now that is GOOD advice... 
Never East Shredded Wheat was the easy way but heh clockwise or
anticlockwise (and yes I did have problems with left and right as a kid).
Clint