Excerpt from the Truman Doctrine
"At the present moment in world history nearly every nation must choose between
alternative ways of life. The choice is too often not a free one. One way of life is based
upon the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative
government, free elections, guarantees of individual liberty, freedom of speech and
religion, and freedom from political oppression. The second way of life is based upon the
will of a minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror and
oppression, a controlled press and radio, fixed elections, and the suppression of personal
freedoms. I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples
who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. I
believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.
I believe that our help should be primarily through economic stability and orderly
political process."
-- President Harry S. Truman, March 12, 1947 in an Address recommending aid to
Greece and Turkey.
Questions
1. Who is Truman addressing?
2. What is Truman asking for?
3. Describe the first and second "ways of life" that Truman refers to.
4. Which way of life does he value as the correct way to live? How can you tell?
5. Who is President Truman referring to when speaking of the second way of life?
6. Give a modern day example of a country that lives by the first "way of life".
7. Give a modern day example of a country that lives by the second "way of life".
8. How important are the characteristics of the first way of life? Why do you believe that
to be true? Provide examples.
9. Do you agree that this is the proper role of the United States in the world? Provide
reasons and examples to back up your position.
Answers
1. Congress
2. To help Greece and Turkey achieve political and economic stability by providing them
with $400 million.
3. The first way of life is a democracy, with majority rule, free institutions, representative
government, free elections, the guarantee of individual liberty, freedom of speech and
religion, and freedom from political oppression.
The second way of life is communist, oppressive, with a controlled press and radio, fixed
elections, and the suppression of personal freedoms which is enforced through terror.
4. The first way because he says the U.S. must help to stop the second way of life. Plus
he uses positive language to describe the democracy and negative language to describe
the communist system.
5. The Soviet Union.
6. The U.S., England, Australia, etc.
7. Iraq
8. Answers will vary since it is an opinion. Correct answers will back up the opinion with
examples.
9. Answers will vary since it is an opinion. Correct answers will back up the opinion with
examples.