Video: Leading up to the Containment Policy and politics after 1945
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Many critical events occurred during the lead up to creation of the policy of containment. The idea of containment came from the American charge d’affaires, George Kennan in an 8000 word telegram sent from George Kennan to the Department of State in 1946. Within this telegram, Kennan detailed his views on the Soviet Union and offered his own insight into United States policy towards communism. As History.com states “Kennan was convinced that the Soviets would try to expand their sphere of influence, and he pointed to Iran and Turkey as the most likely immediate trouble areas. In addition, Kennan believed the Soviets would do all they could to “weaken power and influence of Western Powers on colonial backward, or dependent peoples.” [http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/george-kennan-sends-long-telegram-to-state-department] This telegram caused a leading widespread fear throughout the U.S, of the spread of communism, leading the Truman Government to take a tougher stance on the threat of the spread of communism, relying more on military and economic influence rather than diplomacy. In turn, the analysis that Kennan provided the Truman Government with, lay the groundwork for America’s Policy of Containment.
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After the Long Telegram, the Truman Doctrine was announced, following the similar theory presented by George Kennan of limiting the influence the Soviet Union had on international politics. The Truman Doctrine, that was announced on March 12, 1947 by President Harry Truman, stated that “the policy of the United States was to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” This was particularly focused on Greece and Turkey, as the American Government saw the fall of Greece to communism as the slow stretch of Soviet influence towards the oil fields of the Middle East. The introduction of the Containment Policy formerly known as the Truman Doctrine was brought about due to the responsibility expressed by Harry S Truman that America had to states that and countries that were threatened by the Soviet Union and Communism, stating that they would go to whatever means necessary to protect these countries. [Cold War Abroad and at Home 1945-61; page 610]
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The wars that resulted from this policy however led to an increasing worry in the US of the threat that communism posed to America and its allies. It was thought by vigorously pursuing this policy, the U.S may of been able to keep communism within its current borders. As a result of the dedication the American Government showed to this policy, the Truman Doctrine played a critical role in the structure of America’s foreign policy post March 1947.
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The Truman Doctrine then became the Policy of Containment. The Policy of Containment viewed the threat of communism on a global scale. Combining two of the most influential policies of the late 1940s, the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, the containment policy was America’s declaration to support countries or governments that were being directly threatened by communism, either within their own country of by the Soviet Union explicitly. The policy of containment lead to many international conflicts known as proxy wars as they were commonly not started by America and the Soviet Union themselves. The proxy wars caused by containment were widespread across the globe and had long-lasting impacts on international politics and strongly influenced the ideals and political preferences of the countries the proxy wars occurred in.
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