Date of Award

8-2024

Document Type

Campus Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

History

First Advisor

Vincent Cannato

Second Advisor

Timothy Hacsi

Third Advisor

Spencer DiScala

Abstract

President Harry Truman’s administration witnessed the birth of the national security establishment and foreign policy institutions still used today. The devastation of the Second World War had convinced the American public of a greater need for global involvement but only under Truman did a firm set of policies develop to accomplish a specific set of goals. The policies birthed between 1947 and 1950 include the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The North Atlantic Treaty Organization represented the single most evident shift away from the philosophy of non-entangling alliances advocated by the Founding Fathers and supported by the American public for over 150 years. Nevertheless, NATO’s origins are usually written about as an afterthought of the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan, despite its continued relevance today. However, the national debate over the alliance can shed valuable light on America’s emergence as the predominant global power in the post-World War II era. Prominent isolationist leaders in the Senate, public, and media opposed American involvement in a North Atlantic treaty. They considered the alliance unwise on political, economic, religious, and military grounds and struggled to prevent its ratification by the Senate in July 1949. The litany of criticism leveled by the alliance’s opponents is not well understood, with many authors briefly discussing one or two arguments before referencing its ratification and subsequent impact on the Cold War between East and West. This thesis will analyze the methods employed by the Truman administration to dispel or refute criticism while slowly reducing the influence of isolationist segments within American society. A more extensive list of concerns will also be noted, to provide a more thorough understanding of the numerous challenges faced by the Administration in its efforts to guarantee ratification and alter public opinion.

Comments

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Additional Files

Thesis Signature Page.pdf (96 kB)

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