What policy aimed to stop the spread of communism by the United States?

• A. Containment
• B. Deterrence
• C. Isolationism
• D. Expansionism

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is preventing the spread of an ideology by actively keeping it from extending beyond its current borders. After World War II, U.S. policymakers argued that if communism could be contained within its existing regions, it wouldn’t spread to other countries. This led to a strategy of containment, using a mix of political pressure, economic aid, and military commitments to block further expansion. Examples include the Truman Doctrine, which pledged support to free peoples resisting subjugation; the Marshall Plan, which rebuilt Western Europe to make communist expansion less appealing; and the creation of NATO to deter Soviet influence. Containment is about stopping expansion, not simply threatening retaliation (deterrence), staying out of global affairs (isolationism), or trying to extend influence through conquest (expansionism).