Introduction
There were elevated tensions and antagonism during the Cold War between the superpowers of the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR). Therefore, the Truman Doctrine was a containment strategy employed by the United States against the Soviet Union for almost the entire duration of the Cold War (Winterhalt, 2018). Furthermore, Truman’s Point Four can be seen as a new global deal intended to lift governments all over the globe out of poverty.
How the Marshall Plan impacted the future of Europe
The Marshall Plan was a proposal by Secretary of State George Marshall that the United States avail economic help to rebuild the economy of post-war Europe. The Plan impacted the future of Europe by providing a channel for economic recovery after World War II (McCourt & Mudge, 2022). Furthermore, it developed trustworthy business partners, opened up European markets, and assisted Western Europe’s transition to a stable democracy, as well as ensuring the continuation of the bipartisanship of World War II.
Impact of Social and Racial Changes
Firstly, there was democracy that established a new civil rights agenda that transformed Americans. Secondly, black migration to the North, where the right to vote was available enabled the political parties to solicit votes from African Americans. Lastly, racial discrimination in the defense industry was banned by the president, allowing the incorporation of sailors across the nation into the military units.
NATO and its importance to the West
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established after World War II. Overall, its goals were to safeguard European peace, encourage collaboration among its members, and protect their independence in order to offset the threat the Soviet Union presented (Marten, 2018). Additionally, it ensures that the security of its North American and European member nations is inextricably intertwined. Importantly, NATO provided a security blanket that allowed for the gradual restoration of political stability in Western Europe and the start of the post-war economic boom.
Red Scare
A Red Scare is when a society or state actively promotes a generalized fear of the possible growth of communism, anarchism, or other leftist ideologies. The role of HUAC during the Red Scare was to investigate claims of disloyalty and rebellious behavior by individuals, government workers, and groups thought to have links to the Communist Party. Lastly, the Red Scare produced an environment of repression and anxiety where labor strikes were imminent, and there was concern about immigrants bent on transforming American culture.
References
Marten, K. (2018). Reconsidering NATO expansion: A counterfactual analysis of Russia and the West in the 1990s. European Journal of International Security, 3(2), 135–161. Web.
McCourt, D. M., & Mudge, S. L. (2022). Anything but inevitable: How the marshall plan became possible. Politics & Society. Web.
Winterhalt, K. R. (2018). Truman’s new deal: Point four and the genesis of Modern Global Development. USURJ: University of Saskatchewan Undergraduate Research Journal, 4(2). Web.