Week 31 Cold War IDs

Containment Policy and Domino Theory

Domino Theory

• Theory that if one nation falls to Communism, more would follow
• Introduced by Truman in reference to Greece and Turkey
• Popularized by Eisenhower
• Critics of the theory think the United States was merely protecting its interests in Asia
• Evidenced by China, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc.
• Contradicted by the inability of Communism to take hold in Thailand, Indonesia, etc.

Containment Policy

• United States attempt to control the realization of the Domino Theory
• Created by George F. Kennan and used in the Truman Doctrine
• Evidenced by U.S. actions in Vietnam and Korea
• After its failure in Vietnam, it was replaced by detente talks

"You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is certainty that it will go over very quickly." - President Eisenhower