The Cold War

(1945 - 1991)

American Policy of Containment

Figure 1 North Atlantic Treaty Organization: members and partners. Image. Britannica LaunchPacks, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Feb. 2020.

The original 12 members of NATO were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland,

Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

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Content Statement #23

The United States followed a policy of containment during the Cold War in response to the spread of communism.

Content Elaborations

1. The policy of containment began in the late 1940s to halt the spread of communism in Europe and Asia, and expanded to other parts of the world over the next several decades.

2. Reasons for implementing the policy of containment included:

a. the fear of Soviet expansion in Europe;

b. the rise of communism in China; and

c. the spread of communism throughout Latin America and Asia.

3. Containment policies and international alliances included:

a. the Marshall Plan;

b. the Truman Doctrine; and

c. the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

4. In Asia, the policy of containment was the basis for U.S. involvement in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Let’s Practice: Key Terms

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Section A: Policy of Containment

The “Cold War” is the name we give to the era of political, military, and economic tension between the Soviet Union and the United States. Beginning at the end of World War II- and ending in the early 1990s- this tension involved Communist and Capitalist ideological clashes throughout the world. However, situations in Europe, Asia, and Latin America became the most hostile.

“The Cold War”

It began in 1945

Capitalism v. Communism

United States v. Soviet Union

Germany was divided into two countries:

· East Germany à supported by the Soviet Union

· West Germany à supported by the United States

NATO àthe United States and Allies

Warsaw Pact àthe Soviet Union and Allies

The policy of containment began in the late 1940s to halt the spread of communism in Europe and Asia, and expanded to other parts of the world over the next several decades. Containment is a strategic foreign policy pursued by the United States beginning in the late 1940s to check the expansionist policy of the Soviet Union.

“Policy of Containment”

Containment is keeping something harmful under control

The United States adopted a foreign policy called Containment Policy.

This policy used strategies to prevent the spread of communism.

The policy was adopted as a reaction to the Soviet Union expanding its communism throughout Europe, Asia, and Latin Americans countries.

Let’s Practice: Matching Game

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Section B: Reasons for Containment

The threat of communist invasion or takeover in the decades after World War II was the main reason for American “Containment Policy.”

Below are three areas of communist expansion:

“Three Fears of Communist Expansion”

1.) The fear of Soviet expansion in Europe

· Eastern and Central Europe

o Germany: East Germany (communist) and West Germany (non-communist)

2.) The rise of communism in China

· Chinese Communist Revolution

· Chinese Nationalist relocated to Taiwan

3.) The spread of communism throughout Asia and Latin America

· Korea

o North Korea (communist) and South Korea (non-communist)

· Vietnam

· Cuba

o Communist Revolution led by Fidel Castro

Let’s Practice: Fill in the Blanks Game

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Section C: Policies and Alliances

President Harry S. Truman pledged that the United States would help any nation resist communism to prevent its spread. His policy of containment is known as the Truman Doctrine. The Truman Doctrine demonstrated that the United States would not return to isolationism after World War II, but rather take an active role in world affairs.

To help rebuild after the war, the United States pledged $13 billion of aid to Europe in the Marshall Plan. The US government feared that a hungry, devastated Europe might turn to communism. The Marshall Plan proved enormously successful, helping to rehabilitate European nations that accepted the aid.

Tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union came to a head in 1948, when the Soviet Union blockaded Berlin, and the United States led a year-long airlift to supply citizens stranded in the western zone of the city. Realizing that conflict with the Soviet Union might escalate into war, the United States joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) defensive alliance. It ramped up security measures at home with the National Security Act.

“Containment Policy”
Truman Doctrine	Marshall Plan
President Truman introduced the “Containment Policy.”	Europe was devastated by World War II
To stop the spread of communism going to non-communist countries	The Marshall Plan gave European countries economic aid to rebuild their countries
Congress asking for $400 million economic and military aid to support non-communist countries	This aid was given to support Western European countries that were democratic allies
The “Truman Doctrine” shaped American policy for the rest of the Cold War	Result: Western European countries had an economic boom, and it strengthens ties with the United States

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization – a military alliance

Created to be a counterweight to Soviet Union armies in central and eastern Europe after World War II

An armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an offense against them all

Charter members included: United States, England, France, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, and the Netherlands.

Let’s Practice: Matching Columns Game

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Section D: Korea and Vietnam

In Asia, the policy of containment was the basis for U.S. involvement in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Containment through military intervention was the basis for the Korean and Vietnam War.

Korean War

Japan ruled Korea until 1945, and the northern half was being liberated by the Soviet Union and the southern half by the United States

United Nations intervened with creating a resolution that split Korea in half at the 38^th Parallel.

Vietnam War

United States' involvement in Vietnam was because of the “Domino Theory.”

Domino Theory states that if one Southeast Asian country fell to communism, then all of Southeast Asia would fall like a domino effect.

Let’s Practice: Unscramble Word Game