Context

Following WWII, Britain told the US State Department: “hey, we can’t afford to prop up Greece anymore.” The significance? Greece was in the midst of a civil war, fighting communist forces. Truman saw all communists as a threat and so released what became known as the Truman Doctrine, the cornerstone of Cold War era policy. It essentially asked for money to aid Greece (and Turkey) as well as calling on the US to “defend” freedom and oppose communism anywhere in the world.

Resources

Read the complete Truman Doctrine here

Study Questions

1. What did Truman consider subversive?
2. Why were Greece and Turkey strategic?

More coming soon! Hold your horses!