As an analyst for the R. A. N. D. Corporation, I have been asked to make an assessment of
which policy, the , the formation of NATO or the Marshall Plan, was
more effective in containing Communism. As I began to decide which policy was most
successful, I had to first look at the purpose of all three postwar plans, and determine
which one fulfilled their goals.
After reviewing the policies, it was determined that the
Marshall Plan was most successful in containing Communism.
Now, the purpose of the Truman Doctrine was to contain Soviet influence in all
non-communist countries resisting takeover. Although Congress agreed to this doctrine,
many opponents objected to interfering with the affairs of other nations, while others
argued that U. S. power would be too spread out if they helped every country with this
problem. Therefore, between the years of 1947 and 1950, the United States only sent over
four-hundred million dollars in aid to Turkey and Greece, two countries of whom Great
Britain was supporting to prevent communism, before their economy could no longer
afford it, asking the U.
S. to takeover the aid. The United State’s aid to Turkey and Greece
under the Truman Doctrine greatly reduced the risk of Communists’ takeovers in those
countries. However, it had no affect on the rest of the countries fighting communist
takeovers, falling short of its goal.
After the Soviet Union’s blockade of Berlin, many nations of Western Europe
began to fear the communist nation. So in response to this, ten Western European nations
along with the U.
S. and Canada, formed a defensive military alliance called the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). All these nations agreed that if either one were
attacked, it would be regarded as an attack on all of the nations, which they would resist
with armed forces if needed. This alliance, pretty much caused the Soviet Union to cease
any type communist aggression in all Western Europe countries. However, although
NATO did help contain communism in those countries that joined, it failed to help any
non-communist country in Eastern Europe..