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Formatting: 12-point font Double-Spaced 900 to 1100 words Chicago or Turabian Style Footnotes Use the Funnel Introduction Style Objective Tone: Do not use first or second person (I, me, we, our, etc.) Topic Prompt Using the primary source material in the Revel textbook and the assigned readings listed below, analyze how the Truman administration responded to the perceived threat of communist expansion. As you construct your response, be sure to consider terms such as “the Iron Curtain,” “the Truman Doctrine,” “the Marshall Plan,” and “Containment.” An effective paper will pull material from both the primary sources and assigned readings For this Paper, you should use evidence from the following assigned readings: -Primary Sources in the Fraser book on Revel: Section 24.2, “The Hardening of Positions: Containment, the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and the Berlin Airlift” -George Kennan’s 1947 Containment speech -Churchill’s 1946 Iron Curtain speech -1947 Truman Doctrine speech -1947 Marshall Plan speech -Fraser Book on Revel: Chapter 24, “The World the War Created” -Elizabeth Edwards Spalding, “'A Growing Feeling of Certainty in the Righteousness of our Step:' The Truman Doctrine,” in The First Cold Warrior: Harry Truman, Containment, and the Remaking of Liberal Internationalism (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2006), 61-79. (available on BB) -Ferald J. Bryan, “George C. Marshall at Harvard: A Study of the Origins and Construction of the ‘Marshall Plan’ Speech,” Presidential Studies Quarterly 21, no. 3 (Summer 1991)

Paper For Above instruction

The Truman administration's response to the perceived threat of communist expansion fundamentally reshaped U.S. foreign policy in the aftermath of World War II. Through a series of strategic initiatives including the implementation of the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and the policy of Containment, the United States sought to counter the spread of Soviet influence in Europe and beyond. These measures were rooted in a broader ideological conflict and were articulated through primary sources and scholarly analyses that illuminate the administration’s objectives and methods.

Initially, the ideological clash between the Western democracies and the Soviet Union was vividly expressed in Winston Churchill’s 1946 Iron Curtain speech. Churchill’s metaphor of an “iron curtain” descending across Europe underscored the division and the threat posed by Soviet expansionism. This rhetorical device encapsulated the emerging Cold War divides and underscored the necessity for an American strategic response. Churchill’s speech contributed to the mounting sense of urgency among policymakers that communist influence threatened to destabilize democratic nations and disrupt the postwar order.

Building on this ideological foundation, the Truman administration articulated a proactive strategy encapsulated in the Truman Doctrine of 1947. In his speech, President Harry Truman declared that the United States would provide political, military, and economic aid to all countries resisting communism. As scholar Elizabeth Edwards Spalding notes, the Doctrine reflected “a growing feeling of certainty in the righteousness of our step,” asserting that America bore responsibility for containing communism’s spread (Spalding, 2006, p. 65). This marked a decisive shift from traditional non-interventionist policies toward active engagement in global affairs, emphasizing the moral and strategic obligation to confront Soviet expansion.

The primary architect of this policy shift was George Kennan, whose 1947 containment speech laid the intellectual groundwork for American strategy. Kennan’s “Long Telegram” and subsequent writings argued that the Soviet Union lacked the capacity for expansionist conquests beyond its borders but would seek to expand its influence through subversion and political pressure. He advocated for a policy of “containing” Soviet power, which would involve vigilant political and military measures to prevent the spread of communism. Kennan’s ideas became central to U.S. foreign policy, providing an ideological justification for the Truman administration’s actions and a framework for understanding Soviet intentions.

The Marshall Plan further exemplified the administration’s containment strategy by providing extensive economic assistance to rebuild war-torn Europe. Ferald J. Bryan’s study of Marshall’s Harvard speech reveals that the Plan was designed not merely to foster economic recovery but to prevent the economic despair that could foster communist insurgency. As Bryan notes, the speech was carefully constructed to emphasize American generosity and strategic foresight, framing the aid program as a tool to secure stability and democracy in Europe (Bryan, 1991). The Marshall Plan thus served a dual purpose: economic revitalization and political containment, aiming to create a bulwark against Soviet influence.

One of the most dramatic demonstrations of containment early in the Cold War was the Berlin Airlift of 1948-49. When the Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin in an effort to force the Allies out of the city, the United States responded with a massive airlift operation that supplied West Berlin with food and fuel for over a year. This action underscored the tangible commitment of the Truman administration to defend democratic enclaves against Soviet coercion and to uphold the credibility of U.S. promises to allies. It also reinforced the importance of military preparedness and logistical capacity in implementing containment policies on the ground.

Collectively, these initiatives and speeches reflect an overarching U.S. strategy rooted in the desire to thwart Soviet ambitions through a combination of diplomatic, economic, and military measures. As Churchill famously articulated, the West needed to confront the division in Europe directly, while speeches by Truman and Kennan set the tone for a proactive policy rooted in containment. The Marshall Plan and Berlin Airlift exemplified this approach, demonstrating a willingness to use diplomatic and military means comprehensively.

In conclusion, the Truman administration responded to the perceived threat of communist expansion with a multifaceted strategy characterized by ideological resolve and pragmatic action. The articulation of containment, combined with tangible programs like the Marshall Plan and military interventions such as the Berlin Airlift, exemplified a shift toward a sustained Cold War policy. As primary sources and scholarly analyses confirm, these efforts laid the foundation for decades of U.S. foreign policy aimed at limiting Soviet influence and promoting democratic values across the globe.

References

• Bryan, F. J. (1991). George C. Marshall at Harvard: A Study of the Origins and Construction of the ‘Marshall Plan’ Speech. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 21(3).
• Churchill, W. (1946). The Sinews of Peace (Iron Curtain speech). Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri.
• Fraser, R., & Revel Textbook. (n.d.). Section 24.2, “The Hardening of Positions: Containment, the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and the Berlin Airlift.”
• Kennan, G. (1947). The Long Telegram. Foreign Affairs, 25(4), 641–648.
• Spalding, E. E. (2006). “'A Growing Feeling of Certainty in the Righteousness of our Step:' The Truman Doctrine,” in The First Cold Warrior. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky.
• U.S. Department of State. (1947). The Truman Doctrine Address.
• U.S. Department of State. (1947). The Marshall Plan Speech.
• United States Congress. (1948). The Berlin Airlift.
• Haslam, J. (1994). The Truman Doctrine and the Origins of the Cold War. Oxford University Press.
• Leffler, M. P. (1992). A Preponderance of Power: National Security, the Truman Administration, and the Cold War. Stanford University Press.