On September 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy stood in front of the United Nations General Assembly and stated “Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind” (Kennedy). The Cold War was one of the longest, most poignant periods in United States history. It involved a deep, wide spread fear that Communism would pervade the world and invade the United States, causing a state of political hostility between the Soviet Bloc and the US-led Western powers. It lasted from the late 1940’s until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Cold War was given that name because there wasn’t any direct military confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union . There were no battles, no machines, no military troops; rather, both
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Even before World War II had begun, the Soviet Union obtained military occupation of four different territories. In 1939, Poland became the first country to be occupied by the Soviet Union, and was soon followed by the Baltic States, Finnish territories, Bessarabia, and Northern Bukovina. After the USSR entered World War II on the Allied side, they continued to invade and occupy eleven more territories, including Hungary, Germany, Romania and Korea. At the end of World War II, Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister gave one of his most famous speeches in which he declared that “an iron curtain has descended across the Continent” (Churchill). The “Iron Curtain” Speech was delivered on March 5, 1946 in Fulton, Missouri. The entire continent of Europe was divided in two- those who were under the communist influence of the Soviet Union, and those who were in perpetual fear that they were next. This panic quickly spread across the Atlantic and penetrated the heart of the United States. By the time that Churchill declared the continent was divided in two, communism had already infiltrated 15 countries in Europe, and the Soviet Union appeared to have no plans to stop. This fear led to a variety of government actions- new acts and laws were put in place, economic measures took effect, and the American …show more content…
Truman put the Truman Doctrine into place, establishing that the United States would provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat of the influence of communism. While the doctrine was a foreign policy, it was incredibly effective in reorienting the government away from its usual stance of withdrawal from global conflicts that didn’t directly involve the United States, to one of possible intervention in international battles. The effect of the Truman Doctrine was huge and long lasting. When the Truman Doctrine was put into place on March 12, 1947, President Truman asked for $400 million in military and economic assistance for Greece and Turkey. During his speech, Truman declared that “it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures”. The Truman Doctrine has raised questions from historians with regards to its origins, long term consequences, and the effect it had on the relationship between domestic and foreign policies. One thing is certain, the Truman Doctrine stemmed from the fear of communist infiltration. The government felt that if they could keep the Soviet Union out of other countries, it would assist in their own protection by means of establishing their power and minimizing communist areas. The Truman Doctrine ended America’s longstanding policy of isolationism, and signaled the country’s
Even before World War II had begun, the Soviet Union obtained military occupation of four different territories. In 1939, Poland became the first country to be occupied by the Soviet Union, and was soon followed by the Baltic States, Finnish territories, Bessarabia, and Northern Bukovina. After the USSR entered World War II on the Allied side, they continued to invade and occupy eleven more territories, including Hungary, Germany, Romania and Korea. At the end of World War II, Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister gave one of his most famous speeches in which he declared that “an iron curtain has descended across the Continent” (Churchill). The “Iron Curtain” Speech was delivered on March 5, 1946 in Fulton, Missouri. The entire continent of Europe was divided in two- those who were under the communist influence of the Soviet Union, and those who were in perpetual fear that they were next. This panic quickly spread across the Atlantic and penetrated the heart of the United States. By the time that Churchill declared the continent was divided in two, communism had already infiltrated 15 countries in Europe, and the Soviet Union appeared to have no plans to stop. This fear led to a variety of government actions- new acts and laws were put in place, economic measures took effect, and the American …show more content…
Truman put the Truman Doctrine into place, establishing that the United States would provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat of the influence of communism. While the doctrine was a foreign policy, it was incredibly effective in reorienting the government away from its usual stance of withdrawal from global conflicts that didn’t directly involve the United States, to one of possible intervention in international battles. The effect of the Truman Doctrine was huge and long lasting. When the Truman Doctrine was put into place on March 12, 1947, President Truman asked for $400 million in military and economic assistance for Greece and Turkey. During his speech, Truman declared that “it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures”. The Truman Doctrine has raised questions from historians with regards to its origins, long term consequences, and the effect it had on the relationship between domestic and foreign policies. One thing is certain, the Truman Doctrine stemmed from the fear of communist infiltration. The government felt that if they could keep the Soviet Union out of other countries, it would assist in their own protection by means of establishing their power and minimizing communist areas. The Truman Doctrine ended America’s longstanding policy of isolationism, and signaled the country’s