Which leader was associated with the Soviet Union during the early Cold War period?

The leader associated with the Soviet Union during the early Cold War period is Joseph Stalin. Stalin held power from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953 and was a central figure in the establishment of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe and beyond after World War II. His policies and decisions significantly shaped the geopolitical landscape of the time, leading to tensions with the Western powers, particularly the United States. These tensions eventually culminated in the Cold War, characterized by ideological conflict, military alliances, and a nuclear arms race.

Stalin's leadership saw the expansion of communism in Eastern Europe and the establishment of satellite states under Soviet control, which directly contributed to the division between the Eastern Bloc and the Western powers. His role as a major architect of Soviet foreign policy during this era makes him a critical figure when studying the early Cold War dynamics.

In contrast, the other leaders mentioned are not linked to the early Cold War in the same way. Adolf Hitler was associated with Nazi Germany during World War II, Fidel Castro emerged later as a significant figure in the Cuban Revolution and the Cold War in the late 1950s, and Juan Perón was a prominent leader in Argentina with his own complex relationship involving both support and opposition to U.S.