Question

2. Choose one aspect of the Cold War—the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the Berlin Airlift, or the Korean War. Decide whether or not the events related to that aspect of the Cold War could be considered part of the U.S. policy of containment.
Write a brief article explaining how the U.S. policy of containment is relevant to the topic you chose. The first sentence of the first paragraph will be the thesis statement and should name the aspect of the Cold War and state whether or not the events related to it could be considered part of the U.S. policy of containment. For example: The U.S. response to the devastation of Western Europe can/cannot be considered part of the U.S. policy of containment.

Answer 1

The Truman Doctrine can be considered part of the US policy of containment. This idea of containment developed after World War II, as the United States and Soviet Union emerged as global superpowers. These two countries had extremely different ideas on what type of political/economic system should be used. The US was in favor of capitalism and democracy while the Soviet Union favored a communist system. This communist system resulted in government control of the economy and resulted in the severe limitation of citizens rights in the Soviet Union.

The US wanted to contain the spread of communism due to their disapproval of the Soviet Union. One way they did this was through the Truman Doctrine. President Harry Truman described how failing to help countries that are in jeopardy of falling to communism would threaten individual freedoms/liberties on a global scale. To help in this process, Truman and the US Congress dedicated $400 million to Turkey and Greece as a way to stop the spread of communism to these countries. This money, made possible by the Truman Doctrine, would allow for economies of Turkey and Greece to be stabilized and reduced their chances of falling to communism.