In the duration of the Cold War, the fear of widespread of communism was at an all-time high in the United States. Being a major threat to the capitalistic nation, a strict containment effort, led by George F. Kennan, was launched to minimize the influence of the Soviet Union. This was characterized by limitations on anti-government behavior, military and financial assistance to countries resisting the communist takeover, and an establishment of strong alliances with multiple Western European countries (class). I do believe containment and some of the policies that resulted were definitely beneficial and fulfilled the demands of the United States.
Containment is the effort of the United States to prevent communism from expanding because the
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in establishing alliances with countries so that they had defense in combatting communism. This authorized the U.S.’s global power and as a world police. It would deter the USSR from invading any Western European country. This obviously struck a chord with the Soviet Union seeing as they formed the Warsaw Pact after, giving the USSR complete control over their allies’ forces (class). NATO was beneficial, not only in creating and maintaining alliances but it would also reduce the number of forces and troops the United States would have to keep over in Western Europe by now being able to count on their new allies after having strengthen them with aid beforehand.
Overall we see how important containment was and how many policies resulted because of it. How it has benefitted the U.S. along with its allied countries, how the U.S. has progressed in its attempts to combat communism. Containment was definitely evident throughout the period of the Cold War and was very much needed in order to deter the spread of communism. The effects of these efforts have been felt around the world and has shaped the history as it is
... middle of paper ... ... The protectionist measures taken by Eisenhower kept the communists in check by suspending the progression of the 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.
The U.S. wanted to lead not only because it alone could have helped the international community overcome its problems, but feared that it is most likely to be hurt if it does not act. Following the victory in World War II, the U.S. led the efforts to create United Nations and NATO and also facilitated formation of new regimes in some countries to promote democracy, economic recovery, development, and prosperity which benefited those countries and their people and
The dictionary definition of of the word containment means the action or policy of preventing the expansion of a hostile country or influence. The United States during the the Cold War used the Containment policy to prevent the USSR for pushing its communism throught Europe and the world.
I will examine just a few of President Eisenhower’s foreign policies and how they played in to the influencing the United States involvement in the Cold War and how the Cold War made its way to
The United States were in favor of democracy and capitalism while the Soviet Union sought for the chances of influencing communism. The Cold War did not involve the use of physical arms, but was intensely fought. Propaganda, economic aids, Arms Race, and the creation of alliances were the main methods to fight the war. The use of propaganda played a crucial role in containment by criticizing the other power and raising the morale and spirit of their nation. The economic support for nations helped them recover from the desperate situation after World War II, which prevented the nations from falling under communism.
During the cold war, the United States engaged in many aggressive policies both at home and abroad, in which to fight communism and the spread of communist ideas. Faced with a new challenge and new global responsibilities the U.S. needed to retain what it had fought so strongly for in World War II. It needed to contain the communist ideas pouring from the Soviet Union while preventing communist influence at home, without triggering World War III. With the policies of containment, McCarthyism, and brinkmanship, the United States hoped to effectively stop the spread of communism and their newest threat, the Soviet Union.
The type of policy known as containment was the foreign policy that the United States of America used between the times of 1947 (two years after World War Two) until 1989 (he fall of the Berlin Wall). The definition of containment in this case is strategies whether it was diplomatically, militarily or economically to contain the forming and progression of communism and to give America an influential advantage abroad. The policy of containment all started out with what was known as the Yalta conference, which consisted of Franklin D Roosevelt, the president of the United States at the time, Winston Churchill, the prime minister of the United kingdom, and Joseph Stain, leader of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). It was during this conference that the three men came to an agreement that these three countries would separate the world into three different parts and have their influence on those three parts. This was known as the sphere of influence and it was divided like this; The United States would have control of influence the western hemisphere meaning all of the Americ...
The apparent spread of communism caused many to question the government’s policy of non-intervention in foreign affairs. A counselor in the United States Embassy in Moscow, George Kennan, introduced the policy of containment which said that America needed to stop the spread of communism and that it would eventually die out so long as it did not broaden. Not only were the American people scared of the spread of communism, but the United States government believed that communist nations would spread like falling dominoes if even one country in a region began enacting socialist policies.
...e fight against communism placed a great responsibility on United States and its European allies. In order to back their beliefs, they were responsible to help in the fight against communism. Each country believed strongly in their individual views concerning communism and they were willing to do anything to stop the advancement of this particular form of government. This eventually led to the deaths of thousands of U.S. troops in a war that was being fought for controversial reasons.
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
...was not to preserve peace, but to preserve the sovereignty and independence of the states of Europe against potential aggressors. The basic rule was to ally against any state threatening domination. The weaker countries would seek alliance with the other weaker states. They would thus create a balance or counterweight against the state whose ascendancy they feared.
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.
America’s Policy of Containment was introduced by George Kennan in 1947. This policy had a few good points but many more bad points.Kennan's depiction of communism as a "malignant parasite" that had to be contained by all possible measures became the basis of the Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, and National Security Act in 1947. In his Inaugural Address of January 20, 1949, Truman made four points about his "program for peace and freedom": to support the UN, the European Recovery Program, the collective defence of the North Atlantic, and a “bold new program” for technical aid to poor nations. Because of his programs, "the future of mankind will be assured in a world of justice, harmony and peace." Containment was not just a policy. It was a way of life.
Finally, another thing that the creation of NATO and the Warsaw Pact accomplished was install a desire for territory and advantage in both sides. Both wanted, in short, more people to follow and accept their thinking of either capitalism or communism. This policy manifested itself especially in the Korean War. This war was important in East-West relations in that both wanted their own particular brand of government to be established there after the war.
The NATO and Warsaw Pact were formed. This war inevitably led to destructive conflicts like the Vietnam War and Korean War. The Soviet Union collapsed due to its economic weakness. Berlin was destroyed and the two German nations were unified. The Baltic States and some former Soviet Republics gained independence.