American History: A Survey (Brinkley), 13th Edition

Chapter 27: THE COLD WAR

Primary Sources

1
Read the section of the chapter under the heading "The Containment Doctrine," paying special attention to the discussion of the Truman Doctrine. The following is an excerpt from the March 12, 1947 speech in which Truman proclaimed the doctrine. He later remembered this program as "the turning point in America's foreign policy." Consider the following questions: What were the implications of a president unilaterally issuing what was, in essence, a treaty-like commitment? Was the speech based on a false dichotomy between communist and "free" peoples? What in the speech foreshadows the economic containment approach of the Marshall Plan? Does American foreign policy continue to be based on the assumptions of containment and the Truman Doctrine?

The Truman Doctrine

2
Read the section of the text headed "The Crusade Against Subversion," paying close attention to the subsection "McCarthyism." The following is a brief excerpt from Joseph McCarthy's initial "red-baiting" speech, which was delivered at Wheeling, West Virginia, on February 9, 1950. Press accounts indicate that McCarthy had charged that there were 205 communists in the State Department, but the version printed in the Congressional Record reduced the number to 57. The senator was never very precise about specifics. After reading the excerpt, consider the following questions: How did McCarthy, a Roman Catholic, incorporate religion into his appeal? Does he seem somewhat jealous and resentful of those more sophisticated and better educated than he? What specific individual(s) might he have been alluding to? How would such charges help McCarthy's own political career and the general fortunes of the Republicans?

Joseph McCarthy

3
One of America's earliest and most important "victories" in the early days of the Cold War was the rebuilding of Europe under the Marshall Plan and the subsequent reservoirs of goodwill built up for American containment policies in Western Europe. What arguments are being made in this statement by President Truman in support of the Marshall Plan? What world events are directly and indirectly alluded to? What message is Truman sending to the Soviet Union and its satellites in this statement?

http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=82&page=transcript

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