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Us History Essay
After World War II Greece and Turkey’s economy and political conditions were decaying. Great Britain, who was providing financial help to Greece and Turkey, informed the United States that it could no longer provide assistance due to their financial situation at home. The United States had been monitoring Greece and Turkey’s conditions and the rise of communist and Soviet influences over the years and decided to take action. On March 27, 1947 President Harry S. Truman presented his address before a joint session of congress. The United States involvement in aiding Greece and Turkey was an important part of history that led to many events.

In President Harry S. Truman’s address before the joint session of congress, he asked that the United States provide 400 million dollars to support Greece and Turkey’s economy and government. They established a doctrine known as the Truman Doctrine. The Truman Doctrine stated that is was the United States responsibility to aid people who opposed outside pressures that were trying to over throw them. The United States knew that there was more at risk than Greece and Turkey. If Greece and Turkey were to fall, communism would spread south to other countries. This polarization of power which was spreading became known as the domino theory. The United States took action to check Soviet power by using the Containment Plan and Marshall Plan. This was such an important event in history which impacted the United States later in the future. US aid to Greece and Turkey was the first implementation of the Marshall Plan and the beginning of a long and enduring cold war foreign policy. The United States and The Soviet Union were both spheres of power and influence. Nuclear arms race began between the United States and Soviet Union. In the 1950’s the US used 50% of its federal budget for military expenses such as building nuclear bombs. Military expenses and providing financial support to the different foreign countries to prevent the spread

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