Question

After World War II, American policymaker George Kennan came up with the idea of containment, which stressed stopping the further spread of communism using financial and military means. The Korean War was an example of the use of military force to contain communism. The Marshall Plan was an example of using financial resources to stop the spread of communism. In your opinion, which method was more effective in containment? Why?

Answer 1

Which method was more effective in containment? Why?

The Marshall Plan was an example of using financial resources to stop the spread of communism.

Approved by Henry Truman in 1943, the Marshall Plan was a far more effective method in containment because of the following reasons:

• Firstly, it was a subtle method to contain the spread of communism through the USSR disguised as a "plan" to help Western Europe and its decreased economy through loans.

• Secondly, it was a peaceful method that didn't result in devastation as the Korean War.

• Thirdly, it was perceived as a "miracle" and the US gained recognition for their efforts, as well as increasing their own economy.

• Furthermore, through the US' humanitarian efforts it tried to implicitly change the beliefs of the Western European people towards a non-communist political system, for which the Marshall Plan succeeded in the subsequent years.

Answer 2

In my opinion,among the Marshall Plans,the financial plan worked better for CONTAINMENT.

America gave financial assistance to Western and Eastern Europe.Marshall named these assistance as humanitarian so that Russia did not become a more fierce enemy of America during Cold War.

Attack on South Korea militarily was depleting American finances more quickly than financial aid given to Western Europe and later Eastern Europe.Any war consumes lot of money all of a sudden but financial aid is given slowly and the country gets a chance to recover those financial burden in the meantime.