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Difficulty: MediumOrigins of the Cold War and Containment

Source: Nikolai Novikov, Soviet Ambassador to the United States, telegram to the Soviet leadership, September 1946.

"The foreign policy of the United States, which reflects the imperialist tendencies of American monopolistic capital, is characterized in the postwar period by a striving for world supremacy. This is the real meaning of the many statements by President Truman and other representatives of American ruling circles: that the United States has the right to lead the world. All the forces of American diplomacy—the army, the air force, the navy, industry, and science—are enlisted in the service of this foreign policy."

Which of the following actions taken by the United States at the end of World War II most directly contributed to the Soviet perspective expressed in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The decision to return to a policy of strict isolationism and neutrality in European affairs
  2. B
    The establishment of the Alliance for Progress to counter communist influence in Latin America
  3. The termination of Lend-Lease aid to the Soviet Union and U.S. demands for free elections in Eastern EuropeAnswer
  4. D
    The deployment of combat troops to Vietnam to assist French colonial forces

Answer

The termination of Lend-Lease aid to the Soviet Union and U.S. demands for free elections in Eastern Europe
The correct answer is correct because the termination of Lend-Lease shipments in May 1945 and the U.S. insistence on free, democratic elections in Eastern Europe (most notably Poland) were viewed by the Soviet leadership as aggressive efforts by a capitalist power to undermine Soviet security and expand American influence. This directly contributed to the Soviet view that the U.S. was seeking global hegemony.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source document
The source is a 1946 telegram from the Soviet Ambassador accusing the U.S. of aiming for world supremacy and militarizing its foreign policy.
To understand the Soviet perspective of American post-WWII foreign policy.
2
Identify the historical context of late 1945 to 1946
Tensions rose as the U.S. demanded free elections in Poland and Eastern Europe while abruptly cutting off Lend-Lease economic aid to the USSR in May 1945.
To link actual historical events to the Soviet grievances described.
3
Evaluate the options to find the U.S. action that aligns with the context
The termination of Lend-Lease and pressure for Eastern European elections fits the timeline and represents actions the Soviets interpreted as hostile and imperialistic.
To determine the correct historical cause of the Soviet perspective.

Key Concept

The mutual distrust and early diplomatic clashes that led to the origins of the Cold War
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Topics

Origins of the Cold War and Containment

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