LAD #36: Truman Doctrine

The Truman Doctrine was given in 1947. At this time the United States and the Soviet Union were in a cold war due to differing political ideologies. The United States represented capitalism and Democracy while the Soviet Union represented Communism. The Truman Doctrine marked on the first times that America expressed a policy of containment which was the main goal of the cold war for the United States. The policy of containment is to allow Communism, but to keep it from spreading to any other country. Truman felt the United States was in a position, as a world power, where it needed to interfere in foreign affairs to maintain democracy. Truman, in the doctrine, asked Congress to support Greece and Turkey. Both Greece and Turkey were struggling financially at this time and they were surrounded by the Eastern Communist Bloc in Europe. These countries were at a risk of falling to Communism which Truman hoped, with financial help from the US, would not happen. The thought was that if Turkey and Greece were stable they would have a better chance at fighting off the Soviets. Truman mentioned that Britain was unable to support these countries because they were also struggling to make ends meet. It was America's time to step up and preserve freedom and democracy. In his conclusion, Truman states that if the US does not help Greece and Turkey it could put the country and the rest of the democratic world in danger.