fbpx

KidsKonnect

Truman Doctrine Facts & Worksheets

The Truman Doctrine was a policy that the United States would do whatever was necessary, both economically and militarily, to contain the spread of communism around the world.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Policy /Truman Doctrine Facts & Worksheets

Premium
Truman Doctrine Worksheets
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

The Truman Doctrine is a foreign policy that promised the support of America for democracies against authoritarian threats. It was a result of the desire to contain Soviet geopolitical expansion during the Cold War. In other words, the Doctrine promised American support for nations threatened by Soviet communism. It became the foundation of American foreign policy and even led to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formation.

See the fact file below for more information about Truman Doctrine, or download the comprehensive worksheet pack, which contains over 11 worksheets and can be used in the classroom or homeschooling environment.

Key Facts & Information

Background

Harry S. Truman

  • He was a leader of the Democratic Party before becoming the 33rd president of the United States to serve in the office from 1945 to 1953.
  • His most well-known achievements include implementing the Marshall Plan to reestablish Western Europe’s economy and instituting the Truman Doctrine and NATO to prevent the expansion of Soviet communism.

Turkish Crisis

  • Following WWII, the Soviet government pressured Turkey into allowing Russian shipping to freely transit the Turkish Straits, a naval route connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.
  • The Turkish government’s refusal heightened tensions in the region, necessitating the deployment of naval forces to the Straits.
  • After Britain’s assistance to Turkey ended in 1947, the United States sent military aid totaling $100 million, including some economic aid, to ensure that Turkey retained control of the passage. The US Navy sent the Midway-class aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of the military assistance.

Greek Crisis

  • The Axis powers, a military coalition that initiated WWII consisting of Nazi Germany, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Empire of Japan, abandoned Greece in October 1944.
  • Seven weeks after the abandonment, the British government aided in retaking Athens from the National Liberation Font (EAM), which was controlled by the Greek Communist Party (KKE).
  • On December 3, several unarmed EAM supporters were killed as the start of Dekemvriana, a series of clashes fought until January 11, 1945.
  • The left wing attempted to fight back, but they were outgunned due to the support of the British government, so they were subjected to the White Terror, the prosecution of the members of KKE.
  • A full outbreak of civil war from 1946 to 1949 was accompanied by a sustained revolt of the KKE-controlled guerrilla forces against the Greek government, which became internationally recognized after the KKE boycotted the 1946 elections.
  • The British discovered that Josip Broz Tito, a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman, was funding the KKE.
  • In late 1946, Britain informed the United States that it could no longer provide aid to Greece because its economy was deteriorating.
  • Prime Minister Konstantino Tsaldaris visited Washington in December 1946 to seek American assistance. The US State Department intended to assist Greece and Turkey in reducing their long-standing rivalry.

Soviet Communism

  • The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) advocated for a centralized command economy with a one-party state to achieve a proletarian dictatorship.
  • It entails the advancement of socialism as well as peaceful coexistence with capitalist countries.
  • The United States was opposed to communism because its government saw it as a threat to its freedom, individuality, and way of life. The Soviet Union’s government system directly contradicts that of the United States because the Soviet Union governs based on common ownership, whereas the United States governs based on individual political power.

Truman’s Speech

  • President Harry S. Truman gave an address in front of a joint Congress session on March 12, 1947, in response to a recent British declaration that it would cease providing military and economic aid to the Greek government in its war against the KKE.
  • Truman sought congressional support not only for the Greek government but also for Turkey.
  • Dean Acheson, State Undersecretary, believed in the domino theory, which held that a communist state would most likely spread its “infection” to other states. He warned Truman five days before the president’s speech that if Greece did not receive outside support, it would soon fall under communist control.
  • Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg, the chief Republican spokesman, backed Truman and advised him to go ahead with the speech.
  • A draft of the speech was distributed to policymakers, and it drew criticism from Marshall, Kennan, and others for being overly persuasive.
  • The majority of people responded positively to the speech, but some were critical. Truman was primarily supported by anti-communists in both parties.
  • Walter Lippmann, a prominent columnist, was more skeptical, believing that the speech contained an open-ended pledge.
  • Others were opposed because they saw the Greek government as repressive rather than democratic.
  • In May 1947, most of Congress backed Truman and authorized a $400 million fund for military and economic aid to Greece and Turkey.
  • After short-term defeats for the government from 1946 to 1948, the KKE was defeated.

Effects

  • The US government believed that the Soviet Union supported the Greek Communists and that if the KKE won the civil war, the Soviets would have a significant influence on Greece’s future policies. Truman was primarily concerned with preventing the spread of Soviet totalitarianism through its impact on other countries.
  • Following its sweeping rhetoric that the US should provide support to other countries being subjugated, it was viewed as a significant step that led to international commitments.
  • Some historians, such as Dennis Merill, argue that the doctrine persisted because it effectively addressed a widespread cultural fear of modern life in a globalized world. Without direct military intervention, the United States’ economic power was also mobilized.

Marshall Plan

  • It was established in 1948 as an American initiative to provide $13 million in foreign aid to Western Europe. The fund was established to help Western Europe recover from the economic damage caused by World War II.
  • The US government desired to repair war-damaged areas, remove trade barriers, modernize industry, and prevent communism from spreading.
  • The United Kingdom, France, and West Germany were the three largest recipients of the fund, receiving approximately 26%, 18%, and 11% of the total, respectively.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

  • It is a military alliance formed on April 4, 1949, after World War II by twenty-eight European and two North American states.
  • It included an agreement among its independent member states to assist each other in defending themselves against third-party attacks.
  • It began during the Cold War as a reaction to the Soviet Union’s threat, but it continued even after the Soviet Union’s dissolution.
  • Following World War II, France and the United Kingdom signed the Treaty of Dunkirk on March 4, 1947, as a precautionary measure in case Germany or the Soviet Union attacked one of them.
  • Benelux countries expanded the Treaty of Dunkirk as the Treaty of Brussels in March 1948. The Brussels Treaty Organization, also known as Western Union, arose as a result of this.
  • The US and other states, including Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway, and Portugal, joined the Western Union through the North Atlantic Treaty signed on April 4, 1949.
  • The Korean War prompted the formation of NATO for the North Atlantic Treaty to be implemented with a unified military structure.

Truman Doctrine Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Truman Doctrine across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Truman Doctrine worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Truman Doctrine, which was a policy that the United States would do whatever was necessary, both economically and militarily, to contain the spread of communism around the world.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

  • Fast Facts
  • The President’s Profile
  • Word Wars
  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Key Figures
  • Conflicting Sides
  • Truman’s Speech
  • Mapping Out Communism
  • Leading Leftists
  • Foreign Policy Today

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Truman Doctrine asking for?

President Harry S. Truman gave an address in front of a joint Congress session on March 12, 1947, in response to a recent British declaration that it would cease providing military and economic aid to the Greek government in its war against the KKE.

Who did the Truman Doctrine help?

Truman sought congressional support not only for the Greek government but also for Turkey.

How does the Truman Doctrine influence us today?

It became the foundation of American foreign policy and even led to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formation.

How did the Truman Doctrine respond to communism?

It was a result of the desire to contain Soviet geopolitical expansion during the Cold War. In other words, the Doctrine promised American support for nations threatened by Soviet communism.

Was the Truman Doctrine a good idea?

Following its sweeping rhetoric that the US should provide support to other countries being subjugated, it was viewed as a significant step that led to international commitments. 

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Truman Doctrine Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 18, 2018

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources