"Well, I asked him who would start the war first"

Samantha Smith's quote implies that she was asking someone a question about the capacity for a war to start. She was most likely asking regarding who would be the first to start a dispute, and the person she was asking might have had a viewpoint on the matter. This could recommend that the individual she was asking had some knowledge of the scenario, or was familiar with the capacity for a war to begin. It might likewise suggest that Samantha Smith was concerned about the possibility of a war beginning and wanted to know who would be the first to start it. This could be a sign of a larger fear of war and the capacity for it to cause damage and suffering. It likewise suggests that Samantha Smith was trying to find answers to her concerns and would like to know more about the capacity for a war to start.