"Iron Curtain," Containment, and the Truman Doctrine
Iron Curtain
The "Iron Curtain" was a term used to describe the metaphorical barrier erected by the Soviet Union after World War II separating communist Eastern Europe from the non-communist West.
The term was made popular by British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, in a speech he gave at Fulton, Missouri where he stated in regard to the communist states that, “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.”
During the time of the "Iron Curtain" western civilization was told mostly horror stories of people living beneath an oppressive, communistic rule that granted few civil liberties. In fact the focus on the focus on the lack of freedoms was a form of propaganda used by western governments to dissuade the acceptance of communism.
For those living behind the "Iron Curtain" life was not all too different than life outside of it. In an effort to better communities, the communist party made education mandatory; however, this education was filled with communist propaganda, having children recite dictations such as “The Party knows best, it cares for the common good.”
There was still some truth to the western horror stories. Anyone who spoke out against the Communist party would be thrown in jail. Also, due to seclusion from worldwide trade, food shortages were common. Come winter fruits and vegetables were a rarity. Living conditions were also harsh, several generations of a family lived in small cramped housing. Consumer goods were poorly made, and power shortages were frequent.
This style of life did seem horrific to the western world that believed in political freedom and heavy consumerism, but to those that were born and raised in the shadow of the "Iron Curtain" this way of life was normal.
Containment & The Truman Doctrine
Containment was a form of foreign policy adopted by the United States and non communist European states in reply to the spread of communism. The idea of containment was to help bail out European countries that were still suffering from economic struggles after the conclusion of World War II.
Born from the understanding that countries facing financial crisis would be vulnerable to Communist ideology, Containment was supposed to preserve democratic, conservative governments worldwide.
Out of Containment the Truman Doctrine was born. On March 12, 1947 President of the United States, Harry Truman gave a speech to Congress in regards to an announcement from the British Government stating that come March 31, it would no longer provide military and economic support to the Greek Government in its civil war against the Greek Communist Party.
In this speech President Truman asked Congress to provide support to both Greece and Turkey since both were reliant on British aid. This request introduced a new form of United States foreign policy that differed from that of its previous Monroe Doctrine.
Unlike the Monroe Doctrine, which kept the U.S. in a stance of withdrawal from small conflicts worldwide, the Truman Doctrine introduced a policy of U.S. intervention in conflicts worldwide, most importantly conflicts relating to the containment of Communism.
The "Iron Curtain" was a term used to describe the metaphorical barrier erected by the Soviet Union after World War II separating communist Eastern Europe from the non-communist West.
The term was made popular by British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, in a speech he gave at Fulton, Missouri where he stated in regard to the communist states that, “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.”
During the time of the "Iron Curtain" western civilization was told mostly horror stories of people living beneath an oppressive, communistic rule that granted few civil liberties. In fact the focus on the focus on the lack of freedoms was a form of propaganda used by western governments to dissuade the acceptance of communism.
For those living behind the "Iron Curtain" life was not all too different than life outside of it. In an effort to better communities, the communist party made education mandatory; however, this education was filled with communist propaganda, having children recite dictations such as “The Party knows best, it cares for the common good.”
There was still some truth to the western horror stories. Anyone who spoke out against the Communist party would be thrown in jail. Also, due to seclusion from worldwide trade, food shortages were common. Come winter fruits and vegetables were a rarity. Living conditions were also harsh, several generations of a family lived in small cramped housing. Consumer goods were poorly made, and power shortages were frequent.
This style of life did seem horrific to the western world that believed in political freedom and heavy consumerism, but to those that were born and raised in the shadow of the "Iron Curtain" this way of life was normal.
Containment & The Truman Doctrine
Containment was a form of foreign policy adopted by the United States and non communist European states in reply to the spread of communism. The idea of containment was to help bail out European countries that were still suffering from economic struggles after the conclusion of World War II.
Born from the understanding that countries facing financial crisis would be vulnerable to Communist ideology, Containment was supposed to preserve democratic, conservative governments worldwide.
Out of Containment the Truman Doctrine was born. On March 12, 1947 President of the United States, Harry Truman gave a speech to Congress in regards to an announcement from the British Government stating that come March 31, it would no longer provide military and economic support to the Greek Government in its civil war against the Greek Communist Party.
In this speech President Truman asked Congress to provide support to both Greece and Turkey since both were reliant on British aid. This request introduced a new form of United States foreign policy that differed from that of its previous Monroe Doctrine.
Unlike the Monroe Doctrine, which kept the U.S. in a stance of withdrawal from small conflicts worldwide, the Truman Doctrine introduced a policy of U.S. intervention in conflicts worldwide, most importantly conflicts relating to the containment of Communism.