Final answer:
Stalin's actions and policies contributed to the tension between the Soviet Union and the West during the beginning of the Cold War.
Step-by-step explanation:
Stalin did not cause the Cold War on his own, but his actions and policies certainly contributed to the tension between the Soviet Union and the West. After World War II, Stalin sought to expand Soviet influence in Eastern Europe through the establishment of communist governments in countries like Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Romania. This created a divide between the Eastern Bloc, led by the Soviet Union, and the Western Bloc, led by the United States and its allies. Additionally, Stalin's aggressive rhetoric and actions, such as the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1948, further escalated tensions and deepened the distrust between the East and the West.