The Truman Doctrine

The Truman Doctrine was the president's attempt to synthesize a coherent foreign policy agenda. Richard Freeland argues that it became the seminal declaration of American foreign policy in the post-war period. In February 1947, Truman announced the National Security Act which would formally unify the armed forces under the new Aegis of the Secretary of Defense. That same year, Stalin met with George C. Marshall, whose name would soon brand the Marshall Plan for Europe. And at the end of 1948, the Soviet Union withdrew its occupation forces from North Korea and most best troops returned home.