The Truman Doctrine

What happened

In a speech to Congress, President Harry Truman pledged that the United States would 'support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures,' beginning with aid to Greece and Turkey.

Why it matters

The Truman Doctrine committed the United States to the global containment of communism — the guiding strategy of American foreign policy for the rest of the Cold War.

Sources

• Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. The Truman Doctrine, 1947 · Reputable source