What outcome did World War II primarily lead to regarding the US and the Soviet Union?

• A. The establishment of peaceful relations
• B. The formation of NATO and the Warsaw Pact
• C. A shared effort to rebuild Europe
• D. The end of colonialism in Asia

Answer: (B)

The outcome of World War II primarily led to the formation of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, marking the beginning of a significant geopolitical divide between the United States and the Soviet Union. Following the war, the world entered a period characterized by intense rivalry and suspicion, known as the Cold War. NATO, established in 1949, was a military alliance among Western nations aimed at collective defense against perceived threats, particularly from the Soviet Union.

In response, the Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact in 1955, which included Eastern Bloc countries under its influence, creating a counterbalance to NATO. This division symbolized the broader ideological conflict between capitalism, represented by the U.S. and its allies, and communism, led by the Soviet Union. The formation of these alliances not only solidified military and political boundaries in Europe but also influenced global affairs for several decades, significantly shaping the international landscape in the latter half of the 20th century.

The other options do not accurately reflect the primary outcome of the war: peaceful relations were not established, nor was there a successful shared effort to rebuild Europe that included both superpowers without tensions. The end of colonialism in Asia occurred in a different context and timeframe, separate from the immediate post-war tensions between