Truman Doctrine (policy)

The Truman Doctrine, announced by President Harry Truman in 1947, was a pivotal U.S. foreign policy aimed at containing the spread of communism. It declared that the United States would support countries threatened by Soviet expansion, primarily through economic and military aid. The doctrine was rooted in the belief that if one country fell to communism, neighboring nations might follow, similar to a domino effect. It marked a shift in U.S. involvement in global affairs, emphasizing the need to counter the influence of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and ensuring support for free peoples resisting oppression.