Final answer:
The Cold War was a period of political and military tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. Both sides tried to expand their spheres of influence, but the collapse of the Soviet Union was not due to a civil war among its republics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Cold War was a period of political and military tension between the United States and the Soviet Union from the end of World War II until the collapse of the USSR in 1991. During this period, the Soviet Union did try to expand its sphere of influence across Europe and Asia, while the United States also used its power to expand its own sphere of influence.
However, the collapse of the Soviet Union was not due to a bloody civil war among its republics. Instead, it was a result of various factors such as economic struggles, political reforms, and the push for independence from Soviet republics.
Therefore, the correct answer is d) The collapse of the Soviet Union was due to a bloody civil war among its republics.