The Containment Doctrine

Steven Chappell

When World War II finally came to a close the United States had hoped that the wartime cooperation between the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. would continue. To the disappointment of the United States Stalin had different ideals of how post World War II politics would work. Stalin immediately broke an agreement to remove his troops from oil rich Iran. Then the Soviets proceeded to use hard-line tactics in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

These hard-line tactics eventually prompted U.S. President Truman to proclaim in a private conversation “I’m tired of babying the Soviets.” Less than a year later the Truman administration completed their new Soviet policy the ‘Containment Doctrine.’

The Containment Doctrine was the brain child of a young diplomat and Soviet Specialist named George F. Kennan. Kennan theorized that, no matter which form of government the Russian where governed by, they are always expansionist at heart. Under communist rule, however, Kremlin had become cautious to be sure they had complete control of everything within their borders before expanding. This caution brought, Kennan believed, could allow the U.S. to contain the Soviets without engaging them directly. Thus, with the creation of the Containment Doctrine, the Cold War could begin.

The Containment Doctrine had some immediate success for the Americans and their Western Allies. It was the fathering Doctrine of two crucial and successful plans put in place. The Truman Doctrine which brought much needed financial relief to the Britons in Greece and Turkey. Without the $400 million dollar aide Greece and Turkey would have surely fallen into Soviet hands. With the aide Greece and Turkey remains independant  and American friendly, all this without any direct conflict with the Russians. The second was the Marshall Plan, an economical plan which the U.S. intended for Western Europe. To ensure no conflict would come of it the Americans wisely offered the Soviets and their allies to join in. Predictably the Russians turned their backs on the deal proclaiming it a capitalist trick. The U.S. and it’s Western Allies was able to pump $12.5 billion dollars in the Western European economy without provoking a Russian response. The massive boost to the European economy helped bolster the strength of the American allies without any direct conflict with the Russians yet again.

The early success of the Containment Doctrine would not continue, however. It was not long before Truman’s poor decisions, both pre and post doctrine, would over-shadow his success. The failure to support the World War II American hero Ho Chi Minh in his bid to free his country men, would lead to the Vietnam conflict. The recognizing of Israel as a state would bring resentment by the Arabs he sought as allies against Russia. The failure to adapt with time and consider another ideal aside from the Containment Doctrine would lead to our modern day problems with North Korea.

This is just an opener to understand the Doctrine that caused the two problems which will be written about over the coming weeks. Next week we will start on the Korean Conflict at it’s conclusion we will begin to look at the Vietnam War. Both of these Military engagements are fairly well known, yet none are understood by the average person. Politics and the movements of the time shaped these two events far more than the battle field and death tolls ever did. It is the author’s wish to help bring a light on some of the politics in particular that shaped these troubling times.