Title During the Cold War people felt scared because they thought the Soviet Union was going to take their freedoms. All three presidents had a different view on the Cold War. Truman and Eisenhower believed in the Policy of Containment. While Kennedy believed in the Flexible Response. Containment is US policy adopted in late 1940’s to stop the spread of communism by providing economic and military aid to countries opposing the soviets (Ayers 818). Flexible Response is was a new look on Eisenhower's idea of Massive Retaliation (Ayres 850). Economic Aid is when one country gives another country money (Ayers 819). Military Aid is when one country helps another country or its people in its defense to protect their country (Ayres 819). All three presidents wanted to do it differently. The first cold war president was Harry S. Truman. President Truman believed in Economic Aid. President Truman gave help and money to Greece to prevent communist countries taking it over. Greece is not a rich country. They don't have many natural resources so it's hard to make ends …show more content…
Eisenhower. Eisenhower created a theory called “The Domino Theory”. The Domino Theory was a theory that stated if one country was communist then their neighboring countries would become communist too (Ayers 950). The Domino Theory was made to make awareness towards communism. President Eisenhower also used Brinkmanship but he would rather use Massive Retaliation. Brinkmanship is a strategy that involves countries getting to the verge of going to war without actually going to war (Ayres 850). President Eisenhower’s Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles believed in brinkmanship. President Eisenhower also used Massive Retaliation. Massive Retaliation is when the U.S willingness to use nuclear force to settle disputes (Ayres 850). President Eisenhower believed in different ideas but they both seemed to
The Cold War was a period of dark and melancholic times when the entire world lived in fear that the boiling pot may spill. The protectionist measures taken by Eisenhower kept the communists in check to suspend the progression of USSR’s radical ambitions and programs. From the suspenseful delirium from the Cold War, the United States often engaged in a dangerous policy of brinksmanship through the mid-1950s. Fortunately, these actions did not lead to a global nuclear disaster as both the US and USSR fully understood what the weapons of mass destruction were capable of.
“Was Truman Responsible for the Cold War”, well, according to author Arnold A. Offner, his simplistic answer is an obvious “yes.” “Taking Sides” is a controversial aspect of the author’s interpretation for justifying his position and perception of “Truman’s” actions. This political approach is situated around the “Cold War” era in which the author scrutinizes, delineates, and ridicules his opponents by claiming “I have an ace in the hole and one showing” (SoRelle 313). Both authors provide the readers with intuitive perceptions for their argumentative approaches in justifying whether or not “Truman” contributed to the onset of the “Cold War.” Thus far, it would be hard-pressed to blame one single individual, President or not, for the “Cold War” initiation/s. Information presented show the implications centered on the issues leading up to the Cold War”, presents different ideologies of two Presidents involving policy making, and a national relationship strained by uncooperative governments. However, evidence that is presented may indicate otherwise as Joseph Stalin provides adequate counter claims for discrediting the “simplicity” of “yes”.
The Cold War was a post-World War II struggle between the United States. and its allies and the group of nations led by the Soviet Union. Direct military conflict did not occur between the two superpowers, but intense economic and diplomatic struggles erupted in the country. Different interests led to mutual suspicion and hostility in a rising philosophy. The United States played a major role in the ending of the Cold War.
... Eisenhower’s programs of MAD and the allowance of McCarthyism were detrimental to life in America, as they increased fear, and had minimal effects on fighting Communism abroad. The policy of brinksmanship was helpful for avoiding war with the Soviet Union, but also increased domestic fear of bombs and death, while Eisenhower’s creation of national highways was a huge economic and travel advantage to Americans at home, as well as provided a way to fight Communism through the transport of weapons and use as fighter plane runways. Lastly, Eisenhower’s creation of NASA and the National Defense Education Act was effective at creating and educating about space and science technology to oppose the Soviets, while his spending on missile programs allowed for the research and production of weapons by which to fight Communism in war against the Soviet Union.
The Cold War (1945-1991) was basically an ideological standoff between the ideas of Communism supported by the Russians and Democracy/Capitalism supported by the Americans. Communism is a political ideology which has the central principle of ¡§communal or communist ownership¡¨ of all property and therefore the abolition of private property. Democracy is a form of government in which the people vote, have a representative government and via these representatives ¡§govern themselves¡¨. During the period between 1961 to 1963, Nikita S. Khrushchev represented Communism and ruled Russia, while John F. Kennedy embodied democracy and lead America. The two leaders differed in their foreign policies as is evident by the Berlin Wall incident and the Cuban missile crisis, but both were somewhat radical in their domestic policies.
President Harry Truman came into office right at the end of World War II, after the death of President Franklin Roosevelt. Almost immediately after becoming president, Truman learned of the Manhattan Project, and had to decide whether or not to use the atomic bomb. With the advice of James Byrnes, Secretary of State, Truman decided to drop two atomic bombs on Japan, in part to demonstrate America’s power to the world and gain a political advantage in Europe (Offner 294). After World War II ended, there were negotiations about Germany, and it was decided that Germany would be split into two halves; the western half would be controlled by the United States and its allies, while the eastern half would be controlled by the Soviet Union. This situation led to increased tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union because of the two nations’ different political and economic systems. The Soviet Union began to view the United States as a threat to communism, and the United States began to view the Soviet Union as a threat to democracy. On March 12, 1947, Truman gave a speech in which he argued that the United States should support nations trying to resist Soviet imperialism. Truman and his advisors created a foreign policy that consisted of giving reconstruction aid to Europe, and preventing Russian expansionism. These foreign policy decisions, as well as his involvement in the usage of the atomic bomb, raises the question of whether or not the Cold War can be blamed on Truman.
In February 1946, George F. Kennan, an American diplomat in Moscow, proposed a policy of containment. Containment is the blocking of another nation’s attempts to spread its influence. During the late 1940s and early 1950s the United States used this policy against the Soviets. The United States wanted to take measures to prevent any extension of communist rule to other countries. The conflicting U.S. and Soviet aims in Eastern Europe led to the Cold War. The Berlin airlift, formation of NATO, and the Truman Doctrine all relate to this policy of containment.
The Cold War was a time full of political tensions after the events of World War II. This led the Soviet Union and the United States (considered the two leading superpowers of the world) racing to Europe so they could influence their political agendas upon countries. The Soviet Union and the US also focused on military superiority, and built many nuclear weapons in the preparation of a full scale war. General George C. Marshall created a policy, which he thought was necessary for the defense of the American people. The policies of NSC-68 and George F. Kennan both addressed communism as a serious political threat not to be ignored, and was consistent with General Marshall’s argument to the extent of preparing for a war with Russia.
In his book Cold War: The American Crusade against World Communism, James Warren discusses the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union, its causes, its consequences, and its future. Warren also analyzes why the United States was so afraid of communism and how this fear controlled both U.S. domestic and foreign policy. In George Washington’s Farewell Address, he warned future leaders to avoid foreign entanglements. However, the United States strayed away from this policy in 1941 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. From then on, the United States realized that with its great power came great responsibility. The U.S. felt the responsibility to develop a strategy to combat the spread of world communism, which was viewed as the “Red menace.” The U.S. believed that communism would spread from the Soviet Union, across all of Europe; the U.S. understood that the spread of communism would not be very difficult because the destruction caused by World War II left many nations vulnerable to communism. Also, the Soviet Union had a highly-trained army, a ruthless leader, and a nation committed to Marxist-Leninism, which was a belief that human progress is the destruction of Western democracy and capitalism. The Cold War was a military, diplomatic, economic, and scientific struggle between the Soviet Union and the United States. The rivalry between these two nations also affected places such as Korea, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Malaya, and Vietnam. The Cold War controlled many of the crises that occurred the last half of the 20th century. The major conflict of course was the threat of nuclear weapons. Thomas Larson wrote that “the vulnerability to weapons that could destroy entire countries...heightened fears and antagonisms and made th...
During the rise of The Cold War President Dwight D. Eisenhower spent the majority of his second term dealing with foreign policy. He partially supported the policy of containment and the need to stop advances of communism. Along with president Eisenhower was Secretary of State John Foster Dulles who significantly influenced U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. He was an advocate for a “new look” to threaten the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China. Although he was a strong anti-communist Dulles thought Truman’s policy of containment was too passive. His new look policy declared that if the communist powers pushed the United States close to war, the communist powers would have to reconsider due to The United States nuclear superiority (Newman). “Dulles also advocated a policy of brinksmanship in which the U.S. would “undertake certain efforts to prevent further significant expansion of Soviet power, even at the risk of war” (“Did Eisenhower New Look…”).
The policy of Containment is a strategy that was recommended by Foreign affair 's expert George Kennan. The policy was adopted and executed by the US government after the WW11. In his 8000-word telegram, Kennan recommended the strategy of “containment” of Soviets Union’s exploitation of other weaker East European countries. He further analyzed that curtailing the communist ideologies of Soviet Union these countries would be the best option to preventing another world war. He advised against military confrontation but instead called for a “patient, persistent and firm" strategic efforts to contain Soviet expansionism. He cautioned President Harry Truman of the evils of Stalin’s communist ideologies; these ideas included limiting the freedom of its people. The Soviet Union wanted a world modeled on their own country’s society and values, unlike the US and western Europe countries that sought to practice capitalist ideologies and democratic governments that allowed their citizens the freedom to elect government and exercise their civil liberties. He
Both Truman’s and Eisenhower’s governments were engaged in the Cold War, and contributed to increased tensions with Russia. Truman was the initiator of the containment policy, which was implemented throughout the duration of the Cold War. This policy was put into effect in order to prevent the spread of communism.
During the Truman and Eisenhower administration a policy of containment served to save the free world from communism. But at times these two administrations put world peace on the line to prove its superiority as a nation. One cannot judge these events to being wrong or right because values of a nation and people change with time, we can just learn from these events and know that the next time United States has a contest of superiority it could cost us the world.
In the minds of many Americans Ronald Reagan is the president that ended the Cold War, but is this view accurate? They claim Reagan's unprecedented military spending forced the Soviets to crumble. However, many critics of the president's outspending theory claim that the Russian economy would have imploded without such spending, and a military buildup of that kind did nothing but delay peace. Although, Reagan's willingness to negotiate was a clear factor in ending the Cold War, his aggressive arms race may have done more to forestall peace than abet it. The ascendance of Mikhail Gorbachev to power, the stagnating economy of Russia, and the personal friendship forged between Gorbachev and Reagan were the clear factors that contributed to the war's end.
The Cold War consisted of many events such as the building of the Berlin Wall to make sure East Germans wouldn’t flee from communism, then the Berlin Blockade causing the U.S. to intervene and bring supplies to the people, known as the Berlin Airlift. Though the United States wanted to contain communism, it continued to spread to Korea, China, Vietnam and Cuba. Causing us to intervene in the Vietnam War, the Korean War and a failed attempt to invade Cuba. During the Cold War, the United States went through many Presidents who tried to solve the issues of the Cold War. The problems were the spreading of communism and the idea of trying to contain it, the fear of the Soviet Union using their nuclear weapons and destroying civilization.