Truman Doctrine Impact On American Foreign Policy

The impact that the Truman Doctrine still has on US foreign policy can be recognized in many ways. First, we as a global leader cannot ignore what happens outside our borders, as it affects us along with the rest of the free world. Second, foreign intervention does not rely solely on military action. It can involve economic and technological aid to countries in need. Third, and most importantly, it shows that “American leadership is vital for spreading peace, prosperity and democracy around the world”. (The Legacy of the Truman Doctrine, n.d.) Without American leadership, world peace and democracy are at risk.
When posed with the question of how the Truman Doctrine was a departure from previous US foreign policy, I believe that it was a drastic change in the opposite direction of previous US foreign policy. The United States went from a policy of isolationism to a role of global leadership to aid those countries whose freedoms were threatened by Communism. This transition from

Prior to the Truman Doctrine, the United States had chosen a stance of isolationism when it came to US foreign policy. The policy of isolationism for US foreign policy was that unless it directly affected the United States, we as a country, chose to take no action. These efforts would support these countries in their recovery efforts of economical success to continue to be thriving countries not dictated by a communist party. Specifically, President Truman asked Congress to “...provide authority for assistance to Greece and Turkey in the amount of $400,000,000…” and “...authorize the detail of American civilian and military personnel to Greece and Turkey, at the request of those countries, to assist in the tasks of reconstruction, and for the purpose of supervising the use of such financial and material assistance…”. (Transcript of Truman Doctrine,