Choose a president - Research Paper Example

However, at least until 1949, the Russian threat was not significant in its scope and character. It assumed ominous proportions only when Russia began deploying the tool of communism influencing the people and nations of Europe. More to that, the Soviet Russia exploded its nuclear bomb that nullified the US lead over Russia. Due to changing circumstances, economic assistance was not just enough to establish the confidence in the Europe; however, the rearmament of West Germany, and military assistance in Europe became necessary to tackle soviet expansionary motives.

Adding fuel to the fire, the Korean War intensified the cold war between two super powers. Truman soon realized that democratically elected governments anywhere in the world would be in jeopardy if the communist aggression having support from Russia was not resisted strongly (Gaddis, 1974). Thus, the Truman Doctrine emerged not in isolation but essentially to counter expansionary Stalin Doctrine. In 1947, President Truman, while addressing a joint session of congress, asked for $400 million economic and military aid for Greece and Turkey with an aim to contain communist onslaught in those countries (Merril, 2006).

In fact, between 1947 and 1949, several policy measures were taken by the establishment that included the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the Vandenberg Revolution, and the North Atlantic Treaty. It is important to notice that President’s doctrine for the first time had military and economic perspective to contain the soviet communism. These were mainly the psychological measures aimed at developing confidence in the minds of Europeans about democratic means and ways against the juggernaut of communism (Gaddis, 1974).

Truman doctrine was hugely successful in its objectives in the sense that it halted the Soviet insurgency in Greek. Moreover, between 1948 and 1952, technical support grants, and loans extended to Europe amounting