What was the strategy of containment? Why was it created and how was it originally defined? How did the federal government’s policy of containment change over time? In what ways was containment linked to the new Cold War emphasis on national security?
The strategy of containment was a United States foreign policy during the Cold War era aimed at containing and preventing the spread of communism. It was created in response to the growing influence of the Soviet Union and its expansionist tendencies. The concept of containment was originally defined and articulated by George F. Kennan, an American diplomat, in his famous "Long Telegram" in 1946 and later in an article titled "The Sources of Soviet Conduct" published in Foreign Affairs in 1947.
Kennan argued that the Soviet Union's expansionist tendencies were driven by deep-seated ideologies and that the United States should adopt a policy of containment to prevent the further expansion of communism. The goal was to prevent the Soviet Union from gaining control over additional territories and spreading communist influence around the world.
The federal government's policy of containment changed over time as the Cold War unfolded. Initially, containment was mainly focused on diplomatic and economic means to limit Soviet influence. The Truman Doctrine, announced in 1947, outlined the United States' commitment to support countries resisting Soviet aggression or communist subversion. The Marshall Plan, also introduced in 1947, provided economic aid to war-torn European countries, aiming to prevent the spread of communism.
However, as the Cold War intensified and tensions grew, the policy of containment became more militarized. The Korean War in the early 1950s and the subsequent arms race with the Soviet Union led to a stronger emphasis on military containment. The United States formed military alliances such as NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) to counter Soviet aggression.
Containment was closely linked to the new Cold War emphasis on national security. The United States saw communism as a significant threat to its democratic values, political stability, and economic system. The fear of communist expansion and the domino theory, which suggested that if one country fell to communism, others would follow, heightened the perception of a national security threat. This perception justified the need for a comprehensive containment strategy that involved diplomacy, economic aid, military alliances, and the use of force if necessary.
In summary, the strategy of containment was created to oppose the expansion of communism, and it evolved over time to include diplomatic, economic, and military measures. The federal government's policy shifted from primarily diplomatic and economic means to a more militarized approach. Containment was closely tied to the Cold War's focus on national security due to the perceived threat of communism to democratic values and political stability.