Flexible Response Essay

“We are Americans, determined to defend the frontiers of freedom, by an honorable peace if peace is possible, but if arms are used against us.” (Kennedy 5). Both Truman and Eisenhower’s speeches encouraged use of the policy of containment to combat communism, While kennedy's suggests using Flexible response. The United States was trying to fight against communism which is a government where their was supposed to be no social classes and no poverty (Ayers 623). The Cold War was a period from 1945-1989 where tensions were high between the Soviet Union and the U.S. (Ayers 817). The United States tried to use containment to combat communism which is trying to keep all countries independent and free of communism (Truman 5). The U.S. also pledged to exterminate communism and called it massive retaliation (Ayers 580). All three of the Presidents believed in military use and using our military to combat communism (Truman 4). The Presidents also used economic aid, which is using money to combat communism (Truman 2). The U.S. used military aid to help out other countries with our military (Truman 2).
Truman was the first president to deal with communism. Truman used economic aid to help Greece because their economy had been suffering for a long time and it was more vulnerable to communist …show more content…
President Eisenhower used economic aid to keep other countries safe and free from communism (Eisenhower 4). He used military aid to help other countries’ militaries in keeping communism out (Eisenhower 3). Eisenhower used our military to protect other countries against communist takeover and keep them independent (Eisenhower 4). President Eisenhower used domino theory when describing things about communism and the cold war. It is a chain of events that happens very quickly (Ayers 950). Eisenhower also used brinkmanship which is going to the edge of war without going to war, to combat communism and the Soviet Union (Ayers