Final answer:
Wartime diplomacy, personalities, and tensions were primary factors in the onset of the Cold War, as leaders shaped the trajectory of conflict with their policies and actions, highlighting the complexity of the era.
Step-by-step explanation:
Wartime diplomacy, personalities, and tensions played a primary role in the coming of the Cold War, thus the correct answer to the question is b) They were the primary factors. The alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union during World War II was an uneasy one, based on the common goal of defeating Nazi Germany. As the war ended, ideological differences, mutual suspicions, and conflicting interests quickly surfaced.
Key personalities such as U.S. Presidents Truman and Eisenhower, and Soviet leaders Stalin and Khrushchev, brought their own perspectives and policies that amplified tensions. Their decisions around nuclear armament, interventions in foreign nations, and diplomatic negotiations were crucial in shaping the Cold War's trajectory. Events like the Berlin Airlift, the division of Korea at the 38th Parallel, and the principles of brinkmanship demonstrate how the Cold War was not just about competing ideologies, but also about strategic and geopolitical contests for power. Additionally, the policy of containment aimed to stop the spread of communism and became a cornerstone of American foreign policy.
Understanding the complex interplay of diplomacy, personalities, and tensions enriches our comprehension of the Cold War's complexity, refuting the notion that it was an inevitable conflict and illuminating the choices made by leaders that propelled the world into this prolonged period of rivalry.
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