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Calvin Solomon
Mr. Samuels
History 11
November 3, 2015
Explain the role played by the United States Policy of Containment: The Truman Doctrine,
The Marshall Plan, the Formation of NATO and the Korean War
Truman's Containment policy was the first major policy during the Cold War and was
used in numerous strategies to prevent the spread of communism abroad. Historians have
long debated the effectiveness of American Containment, even questioning its influence on
the outcome of the Cold War. That being said, this debate is completely one sided, as there is
no objective evidence showing that containment was ineffective. On the contrary,
containment was tested and then implemented in an effective yet forceful manner, using
direct tactics. The most influential of these tactics were The Marshall Plan, The Truman
Doctrine, and America’s Entry into the Korean War.
After World War Two, Americans watched as communists took over one eastern
European nation after another. They watched as China became communist, and they watched
as the leader of the Soviet Union, Josef Stalin, made it clear that he wanted communists to
rule the world. President Truman’s fear of communism triggered him to build up his alliances
and overall influence with other countries. Truman did this with the Marshall Plan. The
Marshall Plan was a 1948 American initiative to aid Western Europe, in which the United
States gave $20 billion in economic aid to help rebuild Western European economies after
the end of World War. Truman hoped that this economic aid would gain him powerful allies
but even more importantly fight the spread of communism in the east. When the U.S. put
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forth the Marshall Plan in April 1948 it was clear that they were spreading their capitalist
ideologies to Europe. It is well known that communism is based on the idea that everyone is
equal and has the same amount of wealth, so for Truman to create upward mobility in Europe
by giving economic aid, he was directly fighting back against communism. Both Stalin and
Truman knew that communism could not survive without complete alternate income. In many
ways the Marshall plan was one of the Truman’s clever ideas as it allowed him to fight the
battle against communism without actually “fighting a battle”. Using the Marshall Plan Truman
successfully implemented his containment policy, suppressed communism in the east, and
did all this without losing a single American life. Much like the military aid of the Truman
Doctrine, the Marshall Plan quite literally the used America’s booming economy as a weapon
to fight Stalin.
In 1947 president Harry S. Truman authorized The Truman Doctrine, an American foreign
policy to stop Soviet imperialism during the Cold War. In the Truman Doctrine, President
Truman pledged to contain Soviet threats to Greece and Turkey by offering both nations
military aid and support. The Truman Doctrine was a clear display of the U.S. fighting back
against communism. However, much like the execution of the Marshall Plan, The Truman
Doctrine opened up an indirect pathway to victory. Instead of fighting Stalin directly, the U.S.
was able to sit on the sidelines, and directly fund other nations to fight their war. The Doctrine
quite literally saved thousands of American lives being lost. Just imagine what would have
happened had Truman sent Americans to fight Stalin. Stories of the bloody war between the
U.S. and Soviet Union would be the most highlighted events of the Cold War. Not to mention,
it probably wouldn't be called the Cold War. Although construction of the Truman Doctrine,
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Marshall Plan, and the Berlin Airlift suggested that the United States had a particular concern
with the spread of communism in Europe, America's policy of containment extended to Asia
as well. In fact, Asia proved to be home to the first major battle waged in the name of
containment: The Korean War.
In 1950 the Korean Peninsula was divided between the Soviet-backed government in
the north and an American-backed government in the south. This division occurred at the end
of World War II. While the end of World War II brought peace and prosperity to most
Americans, it also created a heightened state of tension between the Soviet Union and the
United States. Fearing the Soviet Union’s plan to spread communism to other nations,
America focused its foreign policy on the containment of communism, both at home and
overseas. It was the justification behind America’s entry into North Korea that shows their
containment policy in action. In early 1950, President Truman directed the National Security
Council (NSC) to conduct an analysis of Soviet and American military capabilities. In its report,
known as NSC 68, the Council recommended heavy increases in military funding to help
contain the Soviets. Truman also faced a number of criticisms within his own government.
Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy began his notorious hunt for communists within the
Government. Although McCarthy was just warming up, the numerous trials for espionage left
the Truman apprehensive about its anticommunist credentials. Truman found himself under
increased domestic pressure not to appear "soft" on communism abroad. While it might not
have been Truman’s first inclination to invade the North in such a forceful manner, America’s
containment policy saved South Korea from a fatal takeover by the communist north and
reinforced America’s credibility on the subject of anticommunism.
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In conclusion it is undeniable that the policy of containment was one of the most
influential factors in the Cold War. From creation of the Marshall Plan and Truman Doctrine, to
America’s undeniable influence in the Korean War, containment was the driving force behind
all of these critical events and decisions. There is much that can be said about America’s
choice in taking such a one direction approach to anticommunism. Truman new that it was
Stalin’s goal to one day unite the entire world under under one communist rule. Truman also
new that communist ideology did not take issue with such goals, if anything it promoted
worldwide domination of communism. The interesting part in all of this, is that America’s
ideologies and beliefs prevented them from taking as radical of an approach against their
enemy. Truman knew that he could threaten and say all he wanted, but that in the end he
could not act on the threats, because if he did he would no longer be upholding the morals
of western democratic ideology. What all of this meant is that the entire war while Stalin was
making threats he truly hoped to act on, Truman’s containment policy was fighting to hold its
credibility, as the insane lengths Stalin was willing to go to such as taking over nations,
drastically surpassed anything Truman was willing or able to do within the boundaries of
American ideology. The point that can be made behind this, is that Truman’s containment
policy was at an extreme disadvantage yet it still managed to lead the U.S. to victory (Another
whole debate). Instead of imposing capitalist ideology in European countries by just taking
them by force, Truman had to democratically sway nations away from communism using
tactics such as the Marshall Plan and Truman Doctrine. Containment Policy truly was a feat of
brilliance by Truman and his advisors, not to mention the effectiveness in the ways it was
carried out.
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