Truman Doctrine

“The gravity of the situation which confronts the world today necessitates my appearance before a joint session of the Congress. The foreign policy and the national security of this country are involved.”

Truman’s first sentences introduce a central element of his speech: the link between the crises in Greece and Turkey and American national security. His immediate emphasis on American safety is intended to convince Congress and the public, both of which exhibited isolationist trends, that foreign entanglements were necessary.

“Since 1940, this industrious and peace loving country has suffered invasion, four years of cruel enemy occupation, and bitter internal strife.”

This description of Greece exemplifies Truman’s use of emotive language to endear his policy to America. The juxtaposition of an “industrious and peace loving people” with “cruel enemy occupation” and “bitter internal strife” reinforces Truman’s portrayal of Greece as an unjustly suffering nation that the US is morally obligated to assist.

“As a result of these tragic conditions, a militant minority, exploiting human want and misery, was able to create political chaos which, until now, has made economic recovery impossible.”

This excerpt is the first example of how Truman portrays the spread of communism and the role of economic aid in foreign policy, key themes in his speech. He establishes the basis of communism in “want and misery,” which gives militant minority factions the opportunity to act. From here the use of economic aid in containment is claimed to eliminate the circumstances in which communism can gain a foothold, the aim of the Truman Doctrine.