Potsdam Conference and the Seeds of the Cold War

In July 1945, President Truman attended the Potsdam Conference with Churchill and Stalin to discuss post-war Europe. Tensions arose as Stalin sought to expand communism, while Truman and Churchill aimed for democratic governance. The roots of this rivalry trace back to World War I and the Russian Revolution led by Lenin. The West, wary of Bolshevism, opposed Soviet expansion. The development of the atomic bomb by the U.S. introduced a new power dynamic, influencing Cold War tensions. The Potsdam Conference marked the beginning of a prolonged period of geopolitical rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

What was the primary goal of President Truman and Winston Churchill at the Potsdam Conference?

• To establish a new world currency

• To form a new military alliance

• To divide Germany into separate territories

• To secure political freedom and democratic governments in post-war Europe

What was Joseph Stalin's plan for post-war Europe?

• To promote free trade across Europe

• To dominate Europe and impose communism

• To establish a European Union

• To withdraw Soviet troops from Eastern Europe

What event marked the beginning of the ideological conflict between communism and liberal democracy?

• The signing of the Treaty of Versailles

• The Russian Revolution of 1917

• The end of World War II

• The formation of the United Nations

Who led the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia?

• Karl Marx

• Vladimir Lenin

• Joseph Stalin

• Leon Trotsky

What was President Woodrow Wilson's vision for the post-war world?

• A world safe for democracy

• A world governed by a single ruler

• A world dominated by communism

• A world with no national boundaries

What action did President Wilson take during the Russian Civil War?

• He supported the Bolsheviks

• He sent troops to fight against Lenin's government

• He declared neutrality

• He formed an alliance with Stalin

What was the significance of the Manhattan Project?

• It developed the first nuclear weapon

• It was a military alliance with the Soviet Union

• It was a plan to rebuild Europe

• It was a diplomatic agreement with Japan

How did Stalin react to the news of the atomic bomb being used on Hiroshima?

• He immediately surrendered

• He launched a counterattack

• He was already aware due to espionage

• He was surprised and shocked

What was the outcome of the Potsdam Conference?

• It resolved all post-war issues

• It set the tone for the early Cold War

• It led to the formation of the United Nations

• It resulted in a peace treaty with Japan

What characterized the early Cold War period?

• Complete diplomatic harmony

• Rapid economic growth

• A growing sense of fear and distrust

• Sudden military attacks