Final answer:
The Soviet Union's post-WWII imperial actions in Eastern Europe were shaped by a desire for security and expansion of influence, establishing Communist regimes and leading to wide-spread human rights violations, which eventually strained the nation and its international standing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The discussion of whether the Soviet Union's expansion into Eastern Europe post-World War II constitutes justifiable imperialism is a multifaceted analysis involving historical context and the interpretation of international actions and policies. Joseph Stalin's goals were to protect the Soviet Union from future invasions by expanding Soviet influence and establishing Communist, pro-Soviet governments in Eastern Europe. These actions created totalitarian regimes that mirrored the Soviet Union and denied promised democratic freedoms. The Allies were limited in their power to dictate Eastern European reconstruction due to the Red Army's presence and their own ambitions in shaping the post-war world. The Soviet's emphasis on security and self-preservation was further demonstrated by the expansion of communist states, with the eventual outcomes being massive human rights violations under Soviet dominion, and interventions that contributed to the Soviet Union's strain in resources and loss of international prestige.