Europe was primarily defensive not aggressive in the period 1945-55?

The Soviet Union had fought alongside America and Britain, to defeat Nazi Germany, Italy and Japan in the Second World War. At the end of the war, devastation was wide-spread. The Soviet Union was terribly affected by war, ruined by war. Total Soviet casualties doubled those of any other nation. Millions were homeless, without husbands, without an economy to get them back on their feet. Now that the war had ceased, the USSR and United States had no reason to co-operate as they had previously. Instead of being allies, Stalin was now “deeply distrustful of the intentions of the West... ” Stalin was determined to protect his country from an attack by Western powers. The Soviet Union was weak and vulnerable, and its leader, Joseph Stalin, was determined to build a both economically and militarily strong, se...