The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was a policy set forth by U.S. President Harry Truman on March 12, 1947 that stated that the U.S. would support “free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” This included Greece and Turkey, who the U.S. helped economically and military-wise to prevent them from becoming communist. This policy is known to be the start of the Cold War.
The links below offer further insight into this important policy. U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian: The Truman Doctrine This website further identifies the Truman Doctrine and explains why the U.S. helped Greece and Turkey. United States History, World Affairs: The Truman Doctrine This website offers background information on European countries post-World War II, helping connect ideas as to why this policy was created. For a decent-sized biography of Harry Truman himself, click the link below. Country Symbols: Harry Truman To view the complete speech given by Truman on March 12, 1946, click below. Yale Law School: The Avalon Project - The Truman Doctrine |