The Cold War: From World War to Rivalry

In July 1945, President Truman attended the Potsdam Conference, facing challenges of post-war Europe and the emerging Cold War. The conference highlighted the rift between the Allies, with Truman and Churchill advocating for democracy, while Stalin sought to expand communism. The roots of this rivalry trace back to World War I and Lenin's Bolshevik Revolution. Western powers, including Wilson and Churchill, opposed the Bolsheviks, fearing the spread of communism. The Cold War tensions were further exacerbated by the development of nuclear weapons, setting the stage for decades of geopolitical conflict.

What was Harry S. Truman's destination in July 1945?

• A peace conference in Asia

• A diplomatic visit to Africa

• A meeting in Europe with Allied powers

• A vacation in South America

What were Truman and his partners aiming to achieve after WWII?

• Establishing military bases in Germany

• Expansion of American territory

• Creating a new empire

• Securing a lasting peace for Europe

Who was determined to spread communism across Europe?

• Franklin D. Roosevelt

• Harry S. Truman

• Winston Churchill

• Joseph Stalin

What did Lenin base his revolution on?

• The principles of democracy

• The writings of Karl Marx

• The strategies of Napoleon

• The teachings of Mahatma Gandhi

What was the main goal of the Bolshevik Revolution?

• To establish a capitalist state

• To restore the monarchy

• To create a worker's paradise

• To expand Russian territory

How did the Western powers initially respond to the Bolshevik government?

• By offering diplomatic recognition

• By ignoring its existence

• By sending troops to fight against it

• By imposing economic sanctions

What was the main point of contention at the Potsdam Conference?

• The division of Africa

• The future of post-war Europe

• The establishment of the United Nations

• Trade agreements between the Allies

What did Truman have that he believed would give him leverage over Stalin?

• Better intelligence

• A larger army

• Economic superiority

• Nuclear weapons

What was Stalin's reaction to the destruction of Hiroshima?

• Indifference

• Immediate surrender

• Surprise

• No surprise, as he was already aware

What marked the beginning of the Cold War according to the narrative?

• The end of WWII

• The Russian Revolution

• The Potsdam Conference

• The dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan