Literary Dictionary History
Editor|Literary Chronicle
The Truman administration came to power in January 1947 and faced a huge crisis both domestically and internationally, and in order to protect the interests of the United States, the Truman administration decided to adopt a tough policy against the Soviet Union.
In response to the complex and changeable international situation at that time, a series of diplomatic and military operations began shortly after the Truman administration took office.
However, there was an important principle in the foreign policy of the Truman administration: "non-use of force," the largest military operation in the history of American diplomacy.
It not only affected the national security of the United States throughout the Cold War, but also had a major impact on the world at that time.
Taken literally, this principle embodies the determination of the Truman administration to adopt a tough policy toward the Soviet Union, that is, to adopt a policy of "non-use of force" in the face of the Soviet Union.
There are many implications in this principle, the two most important of which are "non-use of force" and "avoidance of military conflict".
The origin of the "non-use of force" policy
The United States is a very interest-oriented country, and whether it is in terms of national, regional or global interests, the United States will adjust according to its own wishes.
In the war years, in order to maintain national and regional security, the United States must ensure its military superiority. Therefore, after the end of World War II, the United States has been committed to building a peaceful international environment.
In October 1945, U.S. President Harry S. Truman issued the famous "Truman Doctrine," stating that the United States would not use force to solve any problem.
This declaration is not only the first time that the United States has issued a claim on the issue of war in the name of a country, but also the largest military operation in human history.
This declaration is not only a policy formulated to deal with the complex and changeable international situation after the war, but also a military strategy to achieve victory in a possible war in the future.
The crisis the United States faced after World War II
The United States performed very well in World War II, defeating Nazi Germany in the European theater, occupying most of Germany's territory, and even reaching the point of occupying all of Europe at one point.
However, the postwar United States was mired in an economic crisis. Faced with enormous economic and political pressures, the Truman administration had to focus on economic and foreign policy.
However, the United States, as a country with a large military power, did not achieve any victory in World War II, which plunged the United States into a huge crisis.
After the end of World War II, the world situation changed dramatically, especially in the European theater, where the United States and the Soviet Union formed a close match.
With its strong military strength and comprehensive national strength, the Soviet Union expanded in the direction of Europe and exercised economic and political control over European countries. At the same time, the United States was unable to win in the European theater, which put the United States in a dilemma.
The establishment of the principle of "non-use of force" in US foreign policy
As a result of the domestic crisis and the Soviet threat, the principle of "non-use of force" in the foreign policy of the Truman administration was established. This principle is also considered the "Iron Curtain" of US diplomacy, which marks the official beginning of the Cold War.
In the years that followed, the principle of "non-use of force" in U.S. foreign policy also changed considerably.
During the Truman Doctrine, U.S. foreign policy was guided by the "non-use of force," and it was not until the Korean War that "force" began to be used in a real sense.
During the Korean War, the Truman administration, while agreeing to China's recommendation to withdraw U.S. troops from Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and Japan, strongly disagreed with the use of force by Chinese forces, and also warned and restricted Chinese troops.
This shows that the Truman administration has fully accepted the principle of "non-use of force."
The influence of the Truman Doctrine on the United States
The implementation of the Truman Doctrine had a huge impact on the United States throughout the Cold War, greatly changing the national security strategy of the United States.
This policy also largely limited the "appeasement" policy of the United States towards the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War, allowing the United States to take a tough attitude towards the Soviet Union, thus avoiding a potential world war.
In addition, the Truman Doctrine had a huge impact on the entire Cold War world order. It made the Soviet Union a presence to be ignored at the time, laying the foundation for the Cold War with the United States after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
At the same time, it also provided the basis for the Soviet "Great Purge", which made relations between the United States and the Soviet Union more tense throughout the Cold War.
It was because of this policy that the Truman administration not only contained the Soviet Union, but also slowed the pace of Soviet expansion, thus greatly easing the Cold War.
Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe
After World War II, the world pattern changed dramatically.
After the end of World War II, the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union officially began. In order to counter the Soviet Union, the United States proposed a "containment policy", which mainly has two aspects: one is to strengthen control over Europe, and the other is to strengthen control over Asia-Pacific countries.
On the European front, the Soviet Union gradually replaced Britain as the biggest threat in Western Europe.
In order to contain the Soviet Union, the United States established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization together with Britain, using Europe as its own strategic buffer zone. To contain the Soviet Union, the United States also established the Warsaw Pact.
In the Asia-Pacific region, the United States has expanded its sphere of influence into the Asia-Pacific region in an attempt to exert influence on China. In Asia, the United States also provided economic assistance to the Soviet Union through policies such as the Marshall Plan and the Lend-Lease Act.
Although the pressure on the Soviet Union was relieved to a certain extent, it also made the Soviet Union's power in the Asian region continue to expand.
The contradictions between the Soviet Union and the United States further intensified
Although this action of the United States did not have a great impact on the Soviet Union, it also indirectly led to the further weakening of the Soviet Union, making it the United States' worst enemy in the European region.
Over time, the contradictions between the Soviet Union and the United States deepened, and by the end of the Truman administration, the Soviet Union did not even need to conduct military action to threaten the United States, which also led to the United States being at a disadvantage in the Cold War.
To sum up, as an important principle of US foreign policy during the Cold War, the Truman Doctrine not only had a major impact on the international situation at that time, but also had a major impact on the national security and world pattern of the United States at that time.
Although the Truman Doctrine did not completely succeed in containing the Soviet Union, it had an important impact on the national security and world order of the United States throughout the Cold War.
The Truman Doctrine was eventually realized through the efforts of the U.S. government.
The Cold War triggered by the Truman Doctrine
The main content of the Truman Doctrine was the non-use of force, but the US government, while implementing this policy, also included the Soviet Union in the US siege.
The Truman Doctrine was a strategy developed by the US government to protect its own interests, but because this policy was not effectively implemented in the process of implementation, it eventually led to the outbreak of the Cold War.
Fundamentally, the Truman Doctrine is an international strategy whose main purpose is to safeguard the national security and interests of the United States.
Under this strategy, the United States must constantly seek allies to form alliances. For the United States, only by constantly expanding the number of allies can it ensure its own security.
For the Soviet Union, this strategy not only had a serious economic impact, but also made it more diplomatically isolated.
Author's point of view
During the Cold War, the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union was arguably the most complex in the world. Although both countries have great military power, they are also competing in their own way.
Both sides are fighting for their own national interests, but once there is a conflict between the two countries, it is likely to lead to the rebalance of power between the two sides, and it will also affect the development of the world pattern.
During this period, U.S. President Harry S. Truman consolidated his position in the world through a series of means and policies. He proposed a policy of "non-use of force" to ensure that America's position during the Cold War was not shaken.
Through this policy, Truman succeeded in consolidating the international pattern and position that the United States had established after World War II. This policy proposed by him had a profound impact on the world pattern at that time and later.