Table of Contents

Introduction. 3

Chapter 1. The International Landscape after World War II 5

1.1. The Geopolitical Map of the World after 1945. 5

1.2. The Political and Economic Crisis in Europe and the Balkans. 6

1.3. Growing Tensions Between the Allies. 6

1.4. The Rise of Ideological Confrontation. 7

Chapter 2. The Truman Doctrine as an Ideological and Strategic Framework of U.S. Policy. 9

2.1. Causes and Pretext for the Doctrine. 9

2.2. Truman’s Address to Congress in March 1947. 10

2.3. Implementation of the Truman Doctrine. 10

2.4. Comparison with the Marshall Plan. 11

2.5. Impact of the Truman Doctrine on U.S. Foreign Policy Strategy. 12

Chapter 3. The Soviet Response and the Early Stages of the East-West Confrontation. 14

3.1. Soviet Interpretation and Critique of the Truman Doctrine. 14

3.2. Soviet Reactions to the Truman Doctrine vs. the Marshall Plan. 15

3.3. The Counter-Narrative. 16

3.4. Escalation of Ideological Confrontation and the Race for Spheres of Influence. 16

3.5. The Question of NATO.. 17

Conclusion. 19

List of References. 21

Introduction

The end of World War II did not bring about the long-awaited peace, but rather ushered in a new era of global confrontation—one defined not by open warfare, but by ideological division, strategic rivalry, and geopolitical realignment. The Cold War, which gradually emerged from the ruins of the wartime alliance between the United States and the Soviet Union, transformed the international system in profound ways. Within this evolving context, the Truman Doctrine, announced in March 1947, stands out as a defining moment that reoriented U.S. foreign policy and marked the ideological beginning of the Cold War.

The relevance of this topic lies in the Doctrine's enduring impact on the geopolitical structure of the postwar world. The Truman Doctrine was not only a response to the specific crises in Greece and Turkey, but also a clear articulation of a new American worldview—one in which the United States would take on the self-ascribed role of global protector of freedom and democracy. This shift represented a dramatic departure from the country’s earlier isolationist tendencies and helped institutionalize a policy of containment that would dominate U.S. strategy for decades to come. The Truman Doctrine thus serves as a critical lens through which to understand the origins and dynamics of the Cold War.

The aim of this study is to explore the Truman Doctrine’s role in shaping the ideological and strategic foundations of early Cold War policy. To achieve this goal, the research sets out to:

1. Analyze the international environment that led to the Doctrine’s formulation;
2. Examine the rhetoric, mechanisms, and implementation of the Doctrine itself;
3. Investigate the Soviet reaction and the escalation of the East–West confrontation.

The object of this research is the system of international relations in the early Cold War period. The subject is the Truman Doctrine as an instrument of U.S. foreign policy and ideological positioning.

In methodological terms, this dissertation applies a combination of historical, political, and comparative analysis. The historical method allows for a contextualized understanding of postwar events and diplomatic developments. Political discourse analysis is used to examine the language and framing of Truman’s address and subsequent policy documents. Comparative analysis is employed to juxtapose the Truman Doctrine with the Marshall Plan and the Soviet Zhdanov Doctrine. The study draws on a wide array of primary and secondary sources, including official U.S. and Soviet archival materials, presidential speeches, diplomatic correspondences, and scholarly analyses from both Western and Eastern academic traditions.

The structure of the paper is organized as follows.
Chapter 1 outlines the international landscape after 1945, emphasizing the geopolitical dislocation and ideological polarization that preceded the Truman Doctrine.
Chapter 2 focuses on the Doctrine itself—its origins, justification, implementation, and relation to parallel initiatives such as the Marshall Plan.
Chapter 3 analyzes the Soviet response, including both rhetorical and institutional countermeasures, and situates the Doctrine within the broader framework of early Cold War escalation. The Conclusion summarizes the key findings, evaluates the Truman Doctrine’s long-term legacy, and outlines potential directions for future research.

 

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