The ‘Truman Doctrine’ to Contain Communism Was First Put Into Action On This Date
How do you feel about the Truman Doctrine?
On May 22, 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed a bill to contain the spread of communism by providing economic and military assistance to Greece and Turkey, marking the first implementation of what became known as the Truman Doctrine.
Why did the Truman Doctrine come up?
As World War II drew to a close Greece emerged from an Axis occupation only to descend into civil war between the internationally-recognized royalist government and communist guerillas, who were backed by the regime of Josef Tito in communist Yugoslavia. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union threatened Turkey to allow its ships unrestricted access to the Turkish Straits ― the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus ― through which all ships transiting from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea must pass.
While Great Britain helped the Greek government retake Athens and provided assistance to the Turkish government into 1947, a weakening economy put an end to further British support so Greece and Turkey appealed to the U.S. for help.
The Truman administration feared that if either Greece or Turkey were to fall to communism, a “domino effect” could lead to further communist expansion into Europe or the Middle East. A strategy to help Greece, Turkey, and other countries threatened by communism was developed by Truman in concert with Secretary of State George Marshall, Undersecretary of State Dean Acheson, and diplomat George Kennan.
Truman unveiled the strategy in a March 12, 1947 address to a joint session of Congress, often cited as the official declaration in which he said:
“I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way… It would be an unspeakable tragedy if these countries, which have struggled so long against overwhelming odds, should lose that victory for which they sacrificed so much. Collapse of free institutions and loss of independence would be disastrous not only for them but for the world. Discouragement and possibly failure would quickly be the lot of neighboring peoples striving to maintain their freedom and independence. Should we fail to aid Greece and Turkey in this fateful hour, the effect will be far reaching to the West as well as to the East.”
What did it do?
A bill was introduced within a week of Truman’s speech by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Arthur Vandenberg (R-MI) and provided a total of $400 million in aid for Greece and Turkey, including:
- $150 million to the Greek Army for arms, ammunition, and equipment.
- $50 million to rebuild transportation infrastructure, utilities, housing, and other facilities in Greece.
- $20 million for agricultural imports such as seed, livestock, and implements in Greece.
- $80 million to import consumer goods to Greece.
- $100 million to strengthen the Turkish military and rehabilitate the country’s railroad and port systems.
While the bill faced opposition in Congress from a minority of lawmakers who condemned it as an imperialistic attempt to circumvent the United Nations, it passed with bipartisan support on votes of 67-23 in the Senate and 287-108 in the House.
President Truman offered the following statement when he signed it into law on May 22, 1947:
“The conditions of peace include, among other things, the ability of nations to maintain order and independence, and to support themselves economically. In extending the aid requested by two members of the United Nations for the purpose of maintaining these conditions, the United States is helping to further aims and purposes identical with those of the United Nations. Our aid in this instance is evidence not only that we pledge our support to the United Nations but that we act to support it.”
What has the Truman Doctrine’s impact been?
The funding provided to Greece and Turkey under the Truman Doctrine in 1947 helped the Greek government defeat the communist guerillas and Turkey stand against Soviet intimidation. It also paved the way for the two historic rivals to become formal allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1952, just three years after the alliance was created as a military equivalent of the Marshall Plan to contain Soviet aggression and influence in Europe.
The Truman Doctrine and its policy of containment became a foundational element of U.S. foreign policy throughout the Cold War as America provided political, economic, and military support to nations threatened by communism. It led in part to U.S. involvement in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
Greece remains a member of NATO in good standing today, and in 2018 it (alongside the U.S.) was among the eight members of the 29 nation alliance to meet its commitment to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense. And the NATO alliance as a whole is growing stronger, as 23 of the 29 allies are projected to meet the defense spending goal by 2024.
Turkey is at a crossroads in its relationship with the U.S. and NATO. It is a partner in the development of the F-35 stealth fighter jet and is slated to receive 100 of the state-of-the-art fighter that will be used by the U.S. and many other NATO members. But those deliveries were put on hold when Turkey committed to purchasing advanced S-400 missile defense systems from Russia, which the U.S. and NATO worry could learn to spot the F-35 and make it more vulnerable. Turkey has said it will go ahead with the S-400 purchase in July, while the U.S. and NATO warn of consequences if Turkey does so.
— Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: Harry Truman Library & Museum via Wikimedia / Public Domain)
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