In 1947, the Truman administration made public its new containment policy. On February 21, the British informed U.S. officials that they could no longer afford to aid the Greek and Turkish governments in their efforts to suppress leftist rebels. Determined to prevent communism from penetrating the Mediterranean, President Harry S. Truman agreed to assume Britain’s commitment to Greece and Turkey. Truman and his advisors knew that it would be difficult to gain support for such a radical departure from America’s tradition of non-interventionist foreign policy (excluding the U.S. record of intervention in Latin America). In a February 27 meeting, congressional leaders told Truman that he would have to frighten the American public in order to gain support for aiding Greece and Turkey.Truman took this advice. On March 12, he addressed a joint session of Congress and emphasized the precarious state of foreign affairs (you can read his address by clicking here). If the United States failed to act in the Mediterranean, he warned, democratic governments everywhere would face grave dangers. Although Truman did not specifically mention communism, his speech (soon known as the Truman Doctrine) eloquently enunciated the emerging global struggle between democratic and communist nations. His remarks persuaded a Republican-dominated Congress to approve a $400 million aid package to Greece and Turkey and signaled American willingness to combat the spread of Communism abroad.
After reading Truman’s address, I would like you to consider and discuss the following: How does Truman describe conditions in Greece and Turkey? Why does he believe that American aid to these nations is so essential? What does Truman is at stake if the United States fails to help free countries facing armed insurgencies? Do you think he was right? Your thoughts…
10 comments:
Wow. He basically said the same things over and over
-Capitalism is good
-Communism is bad
-Greece and Turkey need help
It almost sounds like one of those e-mail scams. Somebody in another country is in bad shape, and needs YOUR help to get a load of money, and it will help you in the end. But I guess this one paid off
Truman describes Greece and Turkey as very much in need of finncial and destoryed contries that need the help of the u.s by giving them money to rebuild their econamies.Arguing that if not giving them help they will turn communist.
truman pretty much just said that it was the united state's duty to be involved with turkey and greece, in order to stop communism from spreading. truman talked about the poor economic state a little bit, but u could tell that he was more concerned with communism spreading. he also said that the u.s. didn't have to wait for approval from the united nations because he felt it was his duty to enter.
my favorite part of this is: the Greek Government is unable to cope with the situation. <-- that just shows how much the united states needed to control everyone and everything. personally... i think there is a time and place that the u.s. needed to back off and let countries decide their own paths. with all of our intervention for the mere protection of an economic system, we went a little overboard. truman makes sure to note that greece and turkey are unable to take care of themselves, even though, provided the opportunity, i'm sure they would have established whatever government they decided fit for their country. [if you give communism a chance, i'm sure it could be good. but no one has mastered it the right way, so there are still flaws. but due to the u.s. no one will ever find out if communism can be good or not. thank you truman doctrine.]
HA! It starts here, it ends with bribing countries to turn to capitalism 3 months later! Where's you're non-interventionist policy now?! Maybe the U.S. should have just stayed home. Truman tries to make you feel sorry for Greece, talking of long invasions and lack of resources and such. At first he says that we should ghelp Greece because it's the right thing to do. He's actually a pretty good speaker. As soon as ppl start thinking, well, why shoudl we help them? he starts going on about "preserving democracy", but he doesn't say "communism"! that word scares ppl. Then in Turkey he starts playing the guilt card again, WE started the United Nations, WE need to use it!
Truman seems to already be alluding to the domino theory. He is pretty much saying that if the US doesn't aid Greece and Turkey in maintaining their freedom, really freedom from communism, then their downfall could cause te downfall of other independent states around them. He says that if the Us doesn't helpthis could eventually cause the downfall of the US.
Here it is clear that the US feels the need to step in and fight other people's battles which may or may not be necessary. Truman goes on and on about the Greek Government being incapable of standing up to the agressors, and he makes it seem like all they need is financial support mainly. But after seeing him reiterate the same thing over and over, I get a sense of fear coming from him. I feel like he's saying it over and over again because he's scared the communists will take over. He mentions the Domino Theory in other words here as well. He says that if Greece were to fall to communism, the surrounding neighbors will, too. Just like Turkey. Truman mentions the need to help Turkey maintain its intergrity, but he jsut wants to provide a wall up against commies!.
I think he's just overreacting, its like saying the world is going to end if a hurricane occurs, something like that(not a good example, but u know what i mean)....they r freaking, but how are we to know what would have happen had the US not aided greece and turkey...not only is he freaking but he's making everyone else freak and that doesn't make anything any better.
In this document Truman is basically saying that Turkey and Greece absolutely NEED our help. I think Truman kinda overreacts on the situation on Greece...in the document he says that GReece has no funds and no finanace for goods or whatever...but they must have something? Truman makes Greece and Turkey seem like they are in a bad postion and wihtout our help they wont be able ot survive. to be honest...i think Truman is just saying all this but he really just wants to promote capitalism and stop communism.
Truman basically says that Greece and Turkey wouldn't be able to survive and without the United States' help, they wouldn't make it. It is clear that he is implying that Communism is bad and he's only saying all this in order to stop it from spreading. Because of Greece's and Turkey's poor economy, i guess it was good that he took action, but they are their own country and i think that they should've been able to, themselves, pick what kind of government that they wanted. Either way, something good might have come out of it.
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