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Harry S. Truman's Speech During The Cold War

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It can be argued that the end of World War II marked a new 'post-war world', and there was a need for effective international relations, and a discussion on reparations for Germany, and foreign policies. Conferences such as Potsdam, or Yalta, played significant roles in global relations, and marked a transitional period for the Cold War. President Harry S Truman made a speech, entitled the 'Truman Doctrine' to the United States Congress in March of 1947, regarding Soviet expansion and the "struggle against communism" in democratic states, namely the U.S. The Truman Doctrine speech stemmed from fear of Soviet expansion and Communist parties in Europe, especially Soviet pressure on Greece and Turkey. President Truman wished to prevent further expansion and adopt a policy of containment, involving an 'interventionist role' in Western Europe. The British Government announced it could no longer provide and maintain military and economic aid to Greece and Turkey in February of 1947, …show more content…

He describes these options as based on the will of the majority or the minority. The first way, what Truman is arguing for, includes free institutions, representative governments, individual liberty or freedom from political oppression. The second way, Truman describes that the "will of the minority" is forced upon the majority, relying on terror and oppression. Further, Truman argues that the U.S. policies must support "free peoples", and overall should provide political and economic assistance to nations that are 'threatened' by totalitarian regimes, or outside pressures. The Truman doctrine wished to show that the United States was committed to resisting the expansion of Communist influence, and Truman argued for the difference between the U.S as 'democratic' and the Soviet Union as 'totilatarianism', leading in to the 'options' discussed by

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