After the Second World War, the Cold War embroiled many of the world's nations. Why did the spread of communism after WWII happen? What were the consequences of the spread of communism during the Cold War and what was the American policy to stop the spread of communism? Show
Here, you'll learn about the spread of communism in Europe, the spread of communism in Asia, and the spread of communism elsewhere and how the spread of communism during the Cold War influenced international relations. Spread of Communism After WWII - Setting the StageThe first communist state emerged in Russia at the end of World War I. However, the larger spread of communism came after WWII. Spread of Communism in RussiaThe first country to adopt a communist government was Russia. The communist party led by Vladimir Lenin took power in the Russian Revolution of 1917, and established the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR, commonly referred to as the Soviet Union. In the map above, dark red represents countries that became communist and allies of the Soviet Union, while orange and yellow represents countries that at some point adopted socialist policies but never implemented full communism or joined the Soviet Bloc. Source: NuclearVacuum, CC-BY-SA-4.0, Wikimedia Commons The Spread of Communism in EuropeThe spread of communism in Europe occurred in the years immediately following World War II, and was the first major wave of the spread of communism. The spread of communism in Europe would be limited to the countries of Eastern Europe that the Soviet Union liberated from Nazi rule and occupied at the end of the war. Each country had its own transition to communism, but all occurred to some degree under the influence of the Soviet Union and usually due to non-democratic means. See in the table below the spread of communism in Europe, including the ways communist parties took power:
American Policy to Stop the Spread of CommunismThe spread of communism after WWII in Europe, greatly concerned the United States and other capitalist countries. They feared it would prompt the further spread of communism in Europe and around the world. The United States policy to stop the spread of communism was known as containment and sought to stop the spread of communism to new countries. The origin of this policy is the Truman Doctrine, expressed by President Harry Truman in 1947 and calling for the US to take an active role supporting governments against communist rebellions with economic and military aid. Later, the Domino Theory was expressed by President Dwight Eisenhower, and contended that one country falling to communism would lead to its neighbors falling like a row of dominoes. This mentality prompted intervention in foreign countries, leading to a number of proxy wars. Proxy War When two (or more) countries engage in indirect conflict through a third country by, for example, supporting different sides in a civil war or war between two countries. The Spread of Communism During the Cold WarThe spread of communism during the Cold War was both influenced by and further contributed to the ideological conflict and strategic competition between the US and USSR. Spread of Communism in AsiaThe spread of communism in Asia created the largest communist state and led to two wars. In the table below, see how communism spread in Asia:
Impact of Communist ChinaThe spread of communism in China had an immense impact on the Cold War. It established a large new communist state that had not been created by the Soviet Union. In the US, President Truman faced criticism for "losing China," and fears that the spread of communism in Asia would continue were important motivations for US intervention in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Chinese Revolution Mao and the communists forces had been fighting with the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek since 1927. The Japanese occupation of China after 1931 contributed to Kai-shek's downfall, and the communists won power in 1949, declaring the People's Republic of China. The communist Chinese government attempted to quickly rebuild and industrialize the country with its policies known as the Great Leap Forward. These policies were often repressive. Later, the Cultural Revolution caused widespread upheaval in China. The Chinese also split with the Soviet Union in the 1960s in the Sino-Soviet Split paving the way for the United States to establish trade relations with China after 1972.
Korean and Vietnam WarsThe American policy to stop the spread of communism was carried to its extremes to stop the spread of communism in Asia, most notably with participation in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In Korea, US backed UN forces prevented a takeover of South Korea by communist North Korea. However, in Vietnam, the US withdrew after a bloody war leading to the fall of South Vietnam to communism in 1975. Vietnam is a good example of how the spread of communism was intertwined with decolonization. The US saw itself fighting to stop the spread of communism, while the Vietnamese communists saw their fight more as one for independence, and many Vietnamese civilians saw the US troops as nothing but a foreign occupier. Ironically, the destabilization of Vietnam's neighbors, Laos and Cambodia, caused by the war helped lead to their fall to communism. Despite that, the domino theory largely was disproven and the spread of communism in Asia was limited to China, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Spread of Communism in Latin America and AfricaThe spread of communism also occurred in Latin America and Africa. See below some of the countries in this region that were involved in the spread of communism during the Cold War:
The America policy to stop the spread of communism often led it to support repressive noncommunist governments or military coups against left leaning governments or guerrilla rebel movements in Latin America and Africa. Cuba: Communism at the US's DoorstepThe most important country in the Americas during the Cold War was undoubtedly the island of Cuba. The US tried to remove Fidel Castro from power with the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion. It was after this failed attempt to remove him that Castro declared the communist nature of the Cuban Revolution and joined the Soviet Bloc. In 1962, the Soviets placed nuclear missiles on the island, sparking the Cuban Missile Crisis, one of the most important events of the Cold War. Fear of a second Cuba informed US support for nondemocratic but anticommunist governments and the overthrow of left leaning leaders in Nicaragua, Chile, and Grenada.
Spread of Communism - Key takeaways
What was the policy to stop communism?In 1947, President Harry S. Truman pledged that the United States would help any nation resist communism in order to prevent its spread. His policy of containment is known as the Truman Doctrine.
What was created to stop the spread of communism in the world?Containment was adopted by President Harry Truman as part of his Truman Doctrine in 1947, which redefined America's foreign policy as one that supports the "free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures," according to Truman's speech to Congress that year.
How did the US stop the spread of communism?The Truman Doctrine, also known as the policy of containment, was President Harry Truman's foreign policy that the US would provide political, military, and economic aid to democratic countries under the threat of communist influences in order to prevent the expansion of communism.
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