The Inaugural Address, By President Harry S. Truman's 1949

It is true, as Truman nones, that the U.S. did help a number of nations economically, but those nations were primarily allies and developed nations in Europe. As he noted, it was "the European reco'ery program" (Truman 4) which served as the centerpiece of the American world economic plan. The poorer, underdeveloped nations of Asia, Africa and Latin America were to be treated far differently, namely as battlegrounds for the two superpowers.

The third aspect, to "strengthen freedom-loving nations against the dangers of aggression" (Truman 4), was belied by actual American foreign policy. As long as a leader of any country took the U.S. side in the frigidity struggle, the U.S. supported him, whether he was an elected leader or a dictator.

The fourth aspect--foreign aid--was also predicated on the support or escape thereof from the leadershiphip of the undeveloped nation for U.S. interests. "Good" leaders were those siding with the U.S., while "bad" leaders were pro-Soviet, whether or not they had been freely elected.

The speech was a simplified black-and-white hatful of the world in which the U.S. (good, democratic, free and peace-loving) faced off with the USSR (bad, communist, violent, and totalitarian). It was root in the algid War ideology which ruled everywhere international relations for decades after World

LaFeber writes that the Soviet aggregate was far from being a threat to the unify States after the war. The Soviets had suffered far more than the United States in the war. They were wounded in every sense, especially economically.

Truman was head far more by economic desires than by reverence of any military threat from the Soviet Union. The concern with the coup d'etat of Eastern Europe by the Soviet Union, and the loss of 3rd World nations to the Soviets, was more a matter of economics than indecency or democracy. LaFeber says Truman made this clear:

Walter LaFeber, in America, Russia, and the Cold War, 1945-1992, shows that the Cold War was the result of the conflict between the United States over how the world would be shaped after World War II. Which side would decide the nature of the world? Would the United States grow a world of capitalism and democracy, or would the Soviet Union shape a world of totalitarianism and socialism? some(prenominal) pursued goals which they saw as expressions of their self-interest. Both were willing to do whatever they needed to do to bring about the desire results. Both hated and feared the other side, and both had to and did manipulate their witness people with propaganda.

Ordercustompaper.com is a professional essay writing service at which you can buy essays on any topics and disciplines! All custom essays are written by professional writers!