Hurry
why did the soviet union refuse to end its occupation of the countries of eastern europe that it "conquered" during world war ii?
select one:
a. soviet leaders wanted to maintain a buffer between russia and the west, fearing intervention by capitalist countries.
b. eastern european countries wanted the soviet army to stay and provide them with military protection
c. soviet generals were reluctant to leave eastern europe because they had built strong military bases there.
d. stalin believed that a retreat from eastern europe might be viewed by his citizens as a sign of weakness.

It wouldn't be C or B the closest answer I would say is A because Stalin didn't want the other democratic states to join against him. During that time it was also the cold war.

Right choice:

a. Soviet leaders wanted to maintain a buffer between Russia and the West, fearing intervention by capitalist countries.

Explanation:

The fear of encroachment or an invasion has always been important in Russian strategic thought, no matter what regime is in power. Terrible historical experiences like the Napoleonic invasion of 1812  and the Nazi invasion of 1941, have always been present in the minds of Russian rulers. You might even go further, to the times of Mongol conquest of Russia. For secretary-general Joseph Stalin, the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe provided an opportunity to expand communism and increase Soviet influence. Surrounding itself with satellite states not only increased communist reach, it also gave the USSR a buffer zone that improved its security.

this excerpt reveals that elinor is humble, and self aware. i hope this ! mark brainliest