Compare And Contrast The Truman Doctrine

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The Truman Doctrine, presented to Congress in 1947, initially goes to address the issues erupting in Greece and Turkey. Truman explains how Greece needs our help financially and how it is being threatened by terrorists’ activities assisted by communists. In this doctrine, Turkey also needs the United States and Great Britain’s help financially,” for the purpose of effecting that modernization necessary for the maintenance of its national integrity” and that the, “ integrity is essential to the preservation of order in the Middle East.” Truman goes on to announce that it is the responsibility of the United States to support “free peoples” under any form of oppression so that they may work out their own destinies, through U.S. economic and financial …show more content…

The purpose of assisting any ally during the Cold War was always under the pretenses of the Containment Policy. Containing communists’ expansion to their borders and specifically away from areas that could prove beneficial to the U.S., due to location and national resources, was priority number one in the U.S. foreign policy agenda. Also, both Presidents realized the importance of the Middle East. Truman may not have elaborated as much as Eisenhower’s pursuit for a Middle Eastern ally, but both administrations knew the strength and dominance of the U.S. influence that needed to remain in the Middle East. However, there are major differences between the two doctrines. Truman’s doctrine did not, technically, specify who the U.S. would rescue from oppressive forces. The message was tailored to Greece and Turkey but the doors were opened for all “free peoples.” Eisenhower’s doctrine had an unmistakable objective, he wanted to maintain, or establish, an allied relationship with the Middle East. Another difference was the financial power within these two doctrines. Truman pleaded for Congress to relinquish funds for Greece and Turkey and as a result Congress would approve all funds towards any other country seeking financial and economic stability from the United States. However, Eisenhower established, within his doctrine, full capabilities to deploy money towards countries in the Middle East without needing the approval of

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