How and why did America develop a policy of containment, and how did this lead to involvement in Korea?

to where it came, but to prevent it from branching out to anymore countries.

The president at the time was Truman, and from the beginning of his

presidency in 1945, he was seen as a weak figure, as he had only ever worked

in Roosevelt's shadow. During the later years of his time in power he was

accused of being a communist sympathisers, due to the fact that he had given

a sector of Germany to the Soviet Union during the war settlement. This left

Truman in a position where he had to prove he was anti-communist, hence he

produced the Truman Doctrine. This document stated that America was prepared

to send money, equipment and advice to any country which was, in American

view, threatened by a communist takeover. But, also in the document he had

accepted that Eastern Europe was already under communist rule. Under Truman

another policy was also developed known as Marshall Aid. It was believed

that communism was only encountered in countries that faced hardship or

poverty. To prevent this happening to Europe as a continent, he sent General

George Marshall to asses the economic situation faced by Europe. He found a

ruined economy and suggested that $17 billion would rebuild the fallings.

Congress refused the idea initially but passed it when Czechoslovakia became

communist. America also used the countries surrounding, communist countries

as 'Buffers,' they would aid the country from falling to communism, and

therefore blocking the access to other countries for Russia. This widely

became known as the policy of containment.

The Korean War broke out in the last two years of Truman's presidency.

Previous to this there were to major events: 1. the end of world war two,

and America had began to demobilise their armed forces. 2. NSC68, a document

which allowed the government to take over the finances of America. He had

landed America in a 'Quagmire,' he did not want to go to war, but due to his

policies, the country was involved and could not get out of the equation.

Bitterness was developing between the communist leader of the north Kim

Il Sung, and the southern nationalist leader Syngman Rhee. Re-unification

was far from a present issue. In 1950 North Korean troops bombarded southern

forces, and by September the majority of Korea was under communist control.

Following the Truman doctrine, Truman sent advisers, supplies and weaponry

to Korea. He also applied pressure to the UN to force the North Korean

troops out of South Korea. Normally in a dispute such as this, the

superpowers of the world would use their right of veto in the Security

Council to prevent action. But, Russia was boycotting the Security Council

because, when China had become communist in 1949, America had found a way to

prevent communist Chinas entry to the UN as a permanent member. They

regarded Chiang Kai-Shek and his nationalist government as the true leaders

of China. This lead to Russia walking out of the UN in protest. So when

America's resolution of aiding Korea was passed, Russia was not on the

Security Council to Veto it. Fundamentally the United Nations fought the war

in Korea, but its biggest contributor was America. The UN was now committed

to using member forces to roll back communist northern troops, and aid

nationalist southern \Korea.