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The Truman Doctrine Explained | Primary Source Close Reads Explained

What does the Truman Doctrine argue that the United States must do regarding the state of foreign affairs? In this episode of Close Reads Explained, Kirk explores President Harry Truman’s Address to Congress in 1947, later known as the Truman Doctrine. What does President Truman define as the difference between free and coercive governments? What argument does he make to the American people regarding the United States’ role in foreign affairs?

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Video

Truman & Containment with John Moser | BRI Scholar Talks: Cold War & The Presidency Series #2

20 Min

What was containment and how did it shape American foreign policy during the Cold War? In this Cold War & the Presidency Scholar Talk video, BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by John Moser, Professor of History at Ashland University, to discuss the significant role that Harry Truman played in the Cold War. How did Truman's presidential unilateralism provide a precedent for his successors to fight major wars without a declaration of war? Did Truman’s expansive view of American foreign policy and global responsibilities align with constitutional principles?