1. Immediate Post-War Collaboration:
- Initially, the US and the Soviet Union (the leading communist power) were allies during World War II and had cooperated to defeat the Axis powers. However, tensions between the two countries began to rise almost immediately after the war, as they had differing political ideologies and geopolitical objectives.
2. Truman Doctrine and the Cold War:
- In 1947, President Harry S. Truman announced the Truman Doctrine, which asserted that the United States would support countries threatened by communism. This marked the official beginning of the Cold War, a period of geopolitical tension between the US and its allies against the Soviet Union and its allies.
3. Containment Policy:
- The United States adopted a policy of containment to limit the spread of communism. This policy involved various means, including political and economic pressure, military alliances (such as NATO), and proxy wars to counter communist expansion.
4. McCarthyism and Red Scare:
- The fear of communism in the United States led to a period known as McCarthyism, named after Senator Joseph McCarthy. During the 1950s, McCarthy led an aggressive anti-communist campaign, resulting in false accusations and ruined careers for many individuals suspected of being communists or communist sympathizers.
5. Peaceful Coexistence:
- In the 1960s, there was a shift in the Cold War dynamics towards peaceful coexistence. While tensions between the US and the Soviet Union persisted, both sides recognized the potential for mutual destruction in a nuclear war and sought to avoid direct confrontations.
6. Détente:
- The term détente refers to a period of relaxation in tensions between the US and the Soviet Union. This occurred in the late 1960s and early 1970s, characterized by arms control agreements, cultural exchanges, and attempts at improving diplomatic relations.
7. End of the Cold War and Collapse of the Soviet Union:
- The Cold War eventually ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. With the dissolution of its main communist rival, the United States became the sole superpower in the world for a period after the Cold War.
8. Post-Cold War Views on Communism:
- After the collapse of the Soviet Union, communism ceased to be a pervasive global threat, and the US's focus shifted to other geopolitical challenges. There was a general consensus among many in the US that the democratic model had triumphed over communism.
It's important to note that not all Americans had a uniform view on communism; opinions varied across political affiliations, ideologies, and individual perspectives. The general sentiments described here represent broad trends in US public opinion and government policies during the post-World War II era.