Essay On Containment During The Cold War

Containment during the Cold War refers to the United States’ methodology of dealing with Communism. Proposed by George Kennan, this policy (along with the Truman Doctrine) would be the driving force behind many of the United States’ decisions throughout the Cold War. The idea involved stopping the spread of Communism and influence of the Soviet Union by keeping it within the borders it already lies. Kennan believed that the system of Communism was a deadly force as it spreads, similar to a parasite. However, if it is contained in one area, it will not be able to survive on its own. This was really an analogy to say that the Soviet Union had many economic and political weaknesses which could be exploited. Putting the policy into action required the United States to finally become fully invested in European affairs and protecting democracy. The step that defined this position was creating NATO, a mutual defense alliance with 12 other nations. Clear examples of enforcing the policy of containment would be the US’ putting down the Communist rebellions in Greece and stopping Stalin from taking control of Turkey. Truman made sure that he was not going to
It is possible that if the USSR had used force, many people would have been undeservingly killed (including Americans). The US may have felt forced to declare war on the Soviet Union, and the war would have played out very differently from there on out. The United States would been involved in another all out war, which they had been trying to avoid the whole time. Because of the defense alliances at the time (NATO and the Warsaw Pact), this may have triggered an even larger scale war. Just as Russia defended Serbia from Austria-Hungary, the nations of NATO would defend the US. We may have seen World War III happen just four years after the last one