During the Cold War, the main concern of the United States was the spread of communism and the threat it posed to democracy, free trade, and individual freedoms. The U.S. feared Soviet expansionism and the global spread of communist ideology, which was seen as a threat to capitalist and democratic values
. To address this, the United States adopted a policy of containment aimed at preventing the further spread of communism beyond the countries where it already existed. This policy was articulated in the Truman Doctrine, which promised political, military, and economic support to nations threatened by communist forces, such as Greece and Turkey
. Additionally, the U.S. was deeply concerned about the nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union. Both superpowers built extensive nuclear arsenals, creating a tense standoff based on deterrence and the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), which prevented direct nuclear conflict but maintained a constant threat of global annihilation
. In summary, the United States' main concerns during the Cold War were:
- Preventing the global spread of communism through containment and support for allied nations.
- Managing the nuclear arms race to deter a catastrophic nuclear war.
- Promoting democracy and free-market principles as alternatives to communism
