How far do you agree with the view that the development of the Cold War between the USA and the Soviet Union in the years 1945-53 was primarily due to traditional great power rivalry?

The development of the Cold War can be viewed as being caused for several different reasons. The great power rivalry, ideological differences and personality traits cited as the main causes for the war, but ideology and personality also contain flaws that prove the great power rivalry was the primary cause. The main argument for the development of the Cold War is that it was created by the traditional great power rivalry. Source 7 argues Russia was the “most ruthless of world-conquering ideologies.” Added to by another point in Source 7 that contests Russia suffered from insecurity “who saw ‘security’ only in the total destruction of rival power.” Both of these points proving Russia were determined to destroy their rivals and can be viewed as a dangerous force when faced with opposition. This is supported by Source 7 where it claims “the USA would have to ‘contain’ its pressure by uncompromising resistance, even if Russia had not been communist” This point arguing ideology was irrelevant to the start of the Cold War, also shown by Source 8 where it claims “Leaders and citizens saw their countries acting for much broader purposes than the mere advancement of national interests.” However, the great power rivalry was even more apparent in conferences towards the end of the Second World War. For example, the Yalta conference, in which the ‘big three’ powers congregated striving for peace, but ended up arguing over the division of Germany and the Polish border, proving the differences between the superpowers. In addition to this, Potsdam in 1945 once again hinted the rivalry between the powers, with Truman secretly keeping his knowledge about the Soviet atomic bomb