The Iron Curtain Doctrine: Created A Line In Europe

In 1946, George Kennan sent a “long telegram to the Us State department depicting the Soviets as driven to expand Communism. The following month, Churchill gave his “Iron Curtain” speech, further instilling fears of the spread of Communism (632). Throughout 1946 and 1947 the Soviets backed multiple Communist takeovers in Europe, justifying American concerns of Soviet militance (632). President Truman issued the Truman Doctrine to assure free nations economic support to resist Communist attacks. Shortly after, the Marshall plan was signed to further instill US economic aid in Europe, expanding US influence. In order to oppose the strong American moves, the Soviets cut off all traffic into Berlin. The allies responded by airlifting supplies to help those in need within the blockade (633). As tensions rose with the Berlin Blockade, the US enacted the National Security Act which created the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council. Along with other legislation, the NSA contributed to a large push for defense of democracy (633). The US, along with Canada and ten other European Nations, signed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1949 to create a strong alliance of democratic nations. The

The Truman Doctrine affected the Cold War by stopping Communists from destroying Europe any further. History.state.gov states, “President Harry S. Truman established that the United States would provide political, military and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces.” In his speech, he asked Congress to give support to the Greek government and go against the Communists. If the U.S. government failed to help the Greek government, the Communists would continue to damage Europe. The Truman Doctrine affected the Cold War, and another policy that affected the Cold

1947: Truman Doctrine: The Truman Doctrine was one of the policies under President Truman’s “Containment Policy.” In the Doctrine, he requested $400 million to bolster forces in eastern Europe to defend against Communism. Congress agrees and passes the doctrine. Dean Acheson, who was the Secretary of State at the time, argued that the fall of a Communist country will have a “domino” effect on the neighboring countries, and they need to be properly prepared for such a situation. As result of this policy, the US became the “global

Truman and Eisenhower each wanted to help limit the increasing issue of communism. One approach they did was getting involved physically and militarily in the countries that were in need. The peace conference at Potsdam was a failure, because communist Russia still stood on their own and as their own separate nation. The Soviet Union had already succeeded in conquering Poland, and much of Europe splitting up Germany. After Hitler committed suicide, the main obstacle for the United States and many other countries was to avoid the looming threat of communism. Truman created the Truman Doctrine to possibly stop or postpone this issue. “I believe,” he argued, “that it must be the policy of the United States to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by

As stated before the Truman Doctrine was a pivotal point in United States foreign policy. Such a policy has its advantages and disadvantages. The major advantage of that time was that the United States stepped in and help an economically strapped Europe and not let them fall under the domination of a single, hostile state. With Britain withdrawing aid to Greece and Turkey if the United States did not implement the Truman Doctrine, Stalin could have easily became a communist influence on those countries. Another advantage of the Truman Doctrine was that is transform America from being isolationist. Getting involved in the affairs of other countries to contain communism had a major

Truman gave the Truman Doctrine. The United States was the only country that could act to keep Russia out of Greece and Turkey, they were in danger of a dictatorial system of government forced on them , as Truman himself said, “...by direct or indirect aggression, [which would] undermine the foundations of international peace and hence the security of the United States.” (Truman) Therefore “... it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressure.” (Truman) This very well explains why it was important for the United States to get involved, and gives the reason for the Truman Doctrine be. Truman wanted to gain congressional approval and public support for supporting Greek and Turkish independence. He thought that the support should be mostly through economic and financial aid, but he wanted to keep costs downs so as not to provoke the Soviets into an aggressive response, so he asked congress to use $400 million to assist them. The money to assist Greece and Turkey was approved by legislation, on 22 May 1947, just two months after the doctrine was given. Dwight P. Griswold was appointed to administer the program of assisting Greece and he was able to stabilise greek affairs by September of 1948. Turkey wasn’t in as bod of an economic crisis, and it was also out of danger by 1948. As Donald McCoy

During the Cold War, Truman was a major influence in fighting against communism. The Chicago Tribune, published in 1947, mentions President Truman’s speech which anticipated conflicts among the United States and the Soviet Union. He clearly stated that the U.S. was against Russia and that an “outcome will inevitably be war” (Document A). One of Truman’s strategies to prevent the spread was a foreign policy known as Truman’s Doctrine.

The artwork that I am criticizing is the “Wall of Oil Barrels - The Iron Curtain” by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The location of this barricade was in Rue Visconti, Paris, between Rue Bonaparte and Rue de Seine. Rue Visconti is a one way street that is 140 meters long and 3 meters wide. They used oil barrels and put them up on June 27, 1962. Christo and Jeanne-Claude worked together on the barricade, taking a total of eight hours to get it all done. The iron/steel oil barrels were stacked on top of each other, forming a wall/barricade of some sort. Christo and Jeanne-Claude left all the barrels exactly they way were, they didn't even change the colors of them. They also kept the brand of the barrel and the rust on them visible. The barricade took up 488.26800 feet (13.7 x 13.2 x 2.7). There was a total of 89 barrels used to create the art.

The Truman Doctrine was the impetus for the change in United States foreign policy, from isolationist to internationalists; thus we were drawn into two wars of containment and into world affairs. The Truman Doctrine led to a major change in U.S. foreign policy from its inception - aid to Turkey and Greece - to its indirect influence in Korea and Vietnam. The aftermath of World War II inspired the U.S.

The “Cold War” was a unique time period were paranoia ran high and the world was at a stalemate as it watch the competition between the two world superpowers,(U.S. and the U.S.S.R.).

1. Truman’s Policy of Containment was that the U.S. would work to stop the spread of communism by providing political, economic, and military assistance to all democratic nations under the threat of communism or any external authoritarian forces. The political aspect of this policy was the alliances made during the Cold War. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was a defensive alliance among the U.S. and other European countries against the Soviet Union. This alliance still exists today. The Warsaw Pact was a defensive alliance that included the Soviet Union and its satellite governments in Eastern Europe. These alliances assured that if one country was attacked, then the others must react by coming to the defense.

The curtain During the cold war period, most geopolitical speakers commonly used the term “Cold War” which defined military, physical, and ideological differences and boundaries separating the countries belonging to the Warsaw Pact in Eastern Europe, otherwise called the Eastern Bloc, and the rest, otherwise called The West. The Iron Curtain separated the Eastern Bloc and the West from the second World War until the end of the Cold War, all along representing the Soviet Union’s attempt to shield itself and allies from a direct contact with the West, especially NATO members. This attempt aimed at preserving its cultures and ideology from Western influence. At the time, Europe had three divisions namely; the US-allied and neutral countries located to the west of the Iron curtain, and countries allied to the USSR to the East of the curtain.

Within theories and finding, The Truman Doctrine was established and on March 12th, 1947. Truman speech pledged “American support for free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures” (Simkin, n.d.) Congress also agreed to give economic aid to the military to help fight Greece against communism as he felt that the political stability was threatened. With Greece in trouble Truman as concerned the other countries would fall into Communism and was known as the ‘domino theory’. If it was not for Truman then Greece and Turkey could no longer afford to fight the rebels. “Truman said that the Cold War was a choice between freedom and oppression; Therefore, Americans would have to abandon their decisions not to get involved in European affairs; America was OBLIGED to get involved” (Clare, n.d.). The Truman Doctrine was an American challenge not only to Soviet ambitions but also through a policy of containment.

A major primary source that contributed a lot to the research of the Polish Solidarity Movement was Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” Speech. The origin of this speech was it was created by Winston Churchill. Officially called the “Sinews of Peace”, but usually called “The Iron Curtain” was given on March 5th, 1949 . During this time Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of Britain, this plays a key role in the speech because he was a prominent person during this time, making many respect and listen to him. The main purpose of this speech was because Winston Churchill wanted everyone understand the geographical divide between the Western and Eastern Bloc. Winston Churchill created this speech because he wanted everyone to be aware of

The original main idea of the Truman doctrine and the policy of containment were to support Turkey and Greece – who were on the verge of being subjugated to the Soviet Union and communism. They needed the assistance of an outside power to help them fight off this threat . The main point to understand this is that it set the precedent that the USA would help any country that was under threat from the Soviet Union in any way, including a communist government trying to take power.