Title: Why did the United States commit itself to containing communism between 1945 and 1960? - eNotes.com
Headings: Why did the United States commit itself to containing communism between 1945 and 1960?
The Cold War
Why did the United States commit itself to containing communism between 1945 and 1960?
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The United States committed itself to containing communism immediately after WWI because it appeared as though communism was spreading rapidly. The Soviet Union showed no signs of leaving Eastern Europe. There were reports of oppression against religious groups and nationalists in Eastern Europe. The United States regarded the Soviet regime as being undemocratic and the polar opposite of the American way of life—it was important to ensure that the Soviet Union did not spread further into Europe and leave the United States to one day fight the regime on its own. The United States indirectly opposed Soviet influence by siding with rightist candidates in postwar elections in Italy and France. The United States also funneled money to anticommunists in Greece. The United States also was fearful of Soviet nuclear capabilities.