Definition

Noun: - A Cold War foreign policy: The Truman Doctrine was a formal declaration by U.S. President Harry S. Truman in 1947. It stated that the United States would provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces, specifically communism. It is widely considered the start of the U.S. policy of containment.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The announcement of the Truman Doctrine marked a significant shift in American foreign policy.
  • Historians argue that the Truman Doctrine effectively drew the line against Soviet expansion in Europe.
  • Aid to Greece and Turkey was the first direct application of the Truman Doctrine.

Advanced Usage

• "the principles of the Truman Doctrine": Refers to the foundational ideas of providing aid to resist communist influence.
  • The ambassador's speech echoed the principles of the Truman Doctrine.
• "a Truman Doctrine-style policy": Used to describe a modern policy that mirrors the original doctrine's approach of using aid to counter an ideological adversary.
  • Some analysts call for a Truman Doctrine-style policy to address new geopolitical challenges.

Variants and Related Words

• Containment (n): The overarching U.S. Cold War strategy of preventing the spread of communism, of which the Truman Doctrine was a key part.
• Marshall Plan (n): A large-scale American economic aid program for Western Europe announced later in 1947, often seen as the economic corollary to the Truman Doctrine's political/military stance.

Synonyms

• Policy of containment (specifically its initial declaration).
• Cold War doctrine.

Related Phrases

• "To draw a line in the sand": An idiom reflecting the decisive, defensive stance of the doctrine.
  • With the Truman Doctrine, America drew a line in the sand against communist expansion.

Noun

1. President Truman's policy of providing economic and military aid to any country threatened by communism or totalitarian ideology