There were several situations that contributed to tension between Harry S. Truman, the President of the United States, and Joseph Stalin, the Premier of the Soviet Union, around the end of World War II. Here are a few:
1. The Yalta Conference: In February 1945, Truman met with Stalin and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill at the Yalta Conference to discuss the post-war reorganization of Europe. The conference resulted in agreements on issues such as the division of Germany, the establishment of a United Nations organization, and Soviet entry into the war against Japan. However, some of the agreements made at Yalta were controversial, particularly the division of Germany into occupation zones, which would set the stage for the Cold War.
2. The atomic bomb: Truman authorized the use of atomic bombs against Japan in August 1945, which quickly led to Japan's surrender. Stalin was aware of the American nuclear program, but he was not informed of the use of the atomic bomb until after it had been dropped. This led to mistrust between the two leaders and heightened tensions between the US and the USSR.
3. The Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe: As the war ended, Soviet forces occupied Eastern Europe and installed communist governments in several countries. This was seen as a threat to US interests and contributed to the development of the Truman Doctrine, which aimed to contain the spread of communism.
4. The Berlin Blockade: In 1948, Stalin imposed a blockade on West Berlin, which was under joint US, British, and French control. The blockade was an attempt to force the Western powers to abandon their occupation of West Berlin, which was located deep within East German territory. Truman responded by organizing a massive airlift of supplies to West Berlin, which lasted for 11 months and demonstrated US resolve in the face of Soviet aggression.
These and other events contributed to the growing tensions between Truman and Stalin, which ultimately led to the Cold War.