Cold War Containment
Coming out of a post-World War II the relationship and tensions between America and the Soviet Union lasted for most of the second half of the twentieth century. This so-called war, heightened suspicions, creating a series of international events that brought the world’s two superpowers down to the brink of destruction.
The Cold War was around a decade long struggle for the United States and the Soviet Union. The cause of this war was to stop anymore communism, or so that was the party line from the President Harry Truman. Although some argue on when the war began it is said to have started around late 1945, when the relationship between Moscow and Washington was at its lowest point. This war was the first thing of its kind, and often was …show more content…
Containment is a military strategy to stop the “expansion” of the enemy. It is best known for the attempt to stop communism. Within the containment came the Marshall Plan. This was an American idea to aid Western Europe. Eventually America gave around 12 billion dollars in aid for their economic stability after World War II. This program was created to rebuild war devastated regions, remove barriers when it came to trade, modernize the region and prevent the spread of communism to Western Europe. “The Marshall Plan required a lessening of interstate barriers, a dropping of many regulations, and encouraged an increase in productivity, labor union membership, as well as the adoption of modern business procedures” ("Marshall Plan,").
When compared to Eisenhower’s idea of brinkmanship, I would say that Truman’s Marshall Plan was a better program to contain communism and stop the Soviet Union. Brinkmanship was a theory that if you push the military to the “brink” of war without declaring war that your opposing country would follow your demands. It was based off fear and scar tactics even though Eisenhower did not have the means or intention to follow through. Essentially it is a war bluff, and in the end Truman had a plan in place and was able to take action versus Eisenhower’s empty
The Cold War was around a decade long struggle for the United States and the Soviet Union. The cause of this war was to stop anymore communism, or so that was the party line from the President Harry Truman. Although some argue on when the war began it is said to have started around late 1945, when the relationship between Moscow and Washington was at its lowest point. This war was the first thing of its kind, and often was …show more content…
Containment is a military strategy to stop the “expansion” of the enemy. It is best known for the attempt to stop communism. Within the containment came the Marshall Plan. This was an American idea to aid Western Europe. Eventually America gave around 12 billion dollars in aid for their economic stability after World War II. This program was created to rebuild war devastated regions, remove barriers when it came to trade, modernize the region and prevent the spread of communism to Western Europe. “The Marshall Plan required a lessening of interstate barriers, a dropping of many regulations, and encouraged an increase in productivity, labor union membership, as well as the adoption of modern business procedures” ("Marshall Plan,").
When compared to Eisenhower’s idea of brinkmanship, I would say that Truman’s Marshall Plan was a better program to contain communism and stop the Soviet Union. Brinkmanship was a theory that if you push the military to the “brink” of war without declaring war that your opposing country would follow your demands. It was based off fear and scar tactics even though Eisenhower did not have the means or intention to follow through. Essentially it is a war bluff, and in the end Truman had a plan in place and was able to take action versus Eisenhower’s empty