The Cold War between the Communists and the Western Worlds began in earnest at the end of World War II. In Korea, the armies of both the U.S. and USSR withdrew, but each side armed their respective section of the country. However, in June 1950 the Communist North invaded the South in an attempt to unite the country. As the Americans believed the invasion was Soviet-backed they sent troops to help South Korean defense while also gaining the support of the U.N. A U.N. military force was subsequently dispatched, although it consisted mainly of American troops. They successfully drove the North Koreans back across the 38th parallel and close to the Chinese border. It was then that the Chinese Army became involved and brought the fighting back down to the 38th parallel where it continued for three years, after which a ceasefire was called. Yet another example of containment in action the Korean War brought the Western Allies in Europe and the United States closer and with the acceptance of West Germany into NATO, united the allies against a common enemy, the USSR. As it was under the Marshall Plan that US provided 80 percent of funds to Europe for military equipment than for reconstruction as after this crisis, US believed that USSR could attack them.
The Marshall Plan helped greatly the economies of the United Kingdom, France and West Germany, while the communist countries continued to suffer financially. Despite its stated aim of helping European economies, it is obvious that the Marshall Plan was a political weapon constructed to discourage the uprising of communism. It was perceived that once the ailing countries of Europe began receiving massive monetary aid from the United States, they would be prohibited from ever become communist. There was also the possibility that the plan itself would encourage the current communist countries, to become more democratic and adopt a capitalist structure.
The USA also took a number of economic measures in attempt to contain communism. One of these was the Truman Doctrine. “With the Truman Doctrine, President Harry S. Truman established that the United States would provide political, military and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces.” Hence, the doctrine was a systematic approach in stopping the spread of communism by offering aid to any country that faced a possible communist takeover. As Walter LaFeber states “the Truman Doctrine was a milestone in American history…the doctrine became an ideological shield behind which the United States marched to rebuild the Western political and economic system and counter the radical left.” A major way in which the US used the doctrine to shield the spread of communism was in Greece. By the end of WW2, the British had restored the Greek monarchy, but they nevertheless faced danger from the communist guerillas, who were eager to end the age-old monarchy and establish a government in congruence with the Soviet Union. The British could no longer finance any more assistance to the Greek government due to their own financial problems, which were stemming from WW2. In light of such a problem, Truman decided to issue his doctrine to Greece, in order to stop the potential communist takeover. US aid and military advisers were immediately sent to Greece and the uprising communists were defeated, before they could have made any more advancement.
The USA also displayed firm action against Stalin and his expanding Soviet empire. Such firm action was particularly shown in the Berlin Crisis. Stalin was extremely angered when the Western Powers decided that they would be in control of West Germany, and treat it like a separate country from the East. In retaliation Stalin severed all road, rail and canal lanes with West Berlin, in attempt to cripple them economically. The USA made a swift decision against the blockade by organizing airlifts of food and fuel supplies to Berlin. Although expensive and burdensome, through the airlifting process the USA managed to keep West Berlin running effectively and by May 1949, Stalin was forced to lift the blockade. The swift action of the US clearly depicted the intolerance that they had for Soviet expansion, and it possibly helped to contain communism as it showed Stalin the extent to which the USA would go to stop communism from spreading.
After the events in Berlin, The USA set up a military alliance known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The military alliance of states included democratic countries only, such as the USA, Canada, the Brussels Pact powers, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Italy and Portugal. By bringing the world’s most powerful democratic states together, the USA found another way to contain communism. The alliance allowed the countries to pool their military resources in order to intimidate the USSR from further communist expansion. NATO basically stood as a powerful threat to the USSR, suggesting to them that these countries would work together to defeat communism at any cost.
The seconed South-East Asian conflict of the Cold War took place in Vietnam. In 1954 the Vietminh, led by Ho Chi Minh, defeated the occupying French forces. The country, much like Korea, was divided in two but on the 17th parallel. Much like Korea the Communist North attempted to overthrow the capitalist South. The USA believed again that the U.S.S.R and now China were arming and supplying the Communist gurillas. Between the outbreak of the Civil war in 1957 and 1960 over 16,000 American 'advisors' had been stationed in South Vietnam. Having expected a short and easy conflict the Americans were surprised by rising casualty rates as well as anti-war public opinion at home. In January of 1973 a ceasefire was called. The war had been a propaganda nightmare for the United States and for the Truman Doctrine as not only had Communism won in Vietnam but U.S brutality (e.g Agent Orange, napalm, My Lai massacre) were all photographed or videoed and later broadcast to the American population. This was the first failed attempt at containment.
Despite the myriad of ways in which the USA attempted to contain communism, it is still uncertain, whether such attempts actually worked. For it is evident that many of these steps did not fully contain the USSR and its ideology. For example the agreements made at Yalta, for the establishment of free elections was somewhat broken by Stalin. Even though they allowed for free elections, Stalin and his government did everything in their power to ensure that a Communist party won. For example, in Poland there had been an intense campaign of murder, censorship and intimidation. Non-communist parties and their candidates were disqualified, killed or arrested, while millions of their supporters were killed or mysteriously taken off the electoral register. All of these steps left no other option but for a Communist party to win. A similar pattern took place in other Eastern European countries, namely Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. Therefore, despite the agreements made by the USA to contain communism and spread the ideals of capitalism throughout Eastern Europe, communism continued to spread and administer itself in many new countries.
The indirect threat of nuclear weaponry and the numerous forms of propaganda, going against communism, made by the US, were not seen as extremely successful. The Uncle Joe image quickly evaporated,while the Kennan telegram and Iron Curtain Speech were effective in sending anti-communist messages, the Soviet Union, did much in retaliation. After such publications, the USSR stepped up the tone and intensity of anti-Western propaganda, which was arguably equal to the effects of the anti-Eastern propaganda, made at the hands of the US. Such powerful propaganda, strengthened communism, and weakened the ideals of capitalism, especially in Eastern Europe.
While the economic programs, such as the Truman Doctrine were effective in stopping Soviet expansion, in truth, Greece was the doctrine’s only full successful case. The doctrine did not successfully stop Soviet expansion, in the years to come. For example when the Czechoslovakian coup took place in 1948, the doctrine was not administered to assist the Czech government in fighting over the communist takeover.
The Marshall Plan was somewhat successful in containing communism, as it left communist countries somewhat helpless and economically crippled, as capitalist countries were able to receive the much-needed financial assistance. Yet this economic inferiority between communist and capitalist countries did not last for long as the Soviets came up with the Molotov Plan, in response to the Marshall Plan. The Molotov Plan, which was a series of bilateral trade agreements, aimed to tie the economies of Eastern Europe to the USSR. The Molotov Plan also created an economic assistance organisation known as COMECON. Stalin also unveiled a 5-year plan for the Soviet Empire. The plan’s main objective was for Eastern Europe to reach economic prosperity. These organisations and plans stimulated the economies of the communist countries and led to their great and powerful economic development, which was basically the opposite of what the Marshall Plan aimed for.
Also the military alliance, NATO, within a week of its formation, found itself with a coalition alliance known as the Warsaw Pact. The Warsaw Pact brought all the states of Europe into a single military command. Therefore, while NATO was formed to make the West more powerful against the ideals of communism, it ironically led to the formation of the Warsaw Pact, making the East more unified in its efforts.
The various crises of the Cold War forced the United States to put containment into action. However, the policy was only mildly successful, as in the cases of the Berlin Blockade, the Communist uprising in Greece, but was highly unsuccessful in the South East Asian contexts. While overall the policy prevented the spread of Communism on a global scale, at times, it led to much embarrassment for the various American administrations of the Cold War as well as prolonged partition of nations such as Korea, Vietnam and Germany.
US Departments of State Website, The Truman Doctrine, 1947