Political Measures
* The Truman Doctrine: In 1947, President Harry Truman announced the Truman Doctrine, which pledged American support for free peoples resisting subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures. This policy was a major turning point in the Cold War, as it signaled that the United States was prepared to intervene in Europe to contain the spread of communism.
* The Marshall Plan: Also in 1947, the United States launched the Marshall Plan, a massive economic aid program designed to help rebuild Europe after World War II. The Marshall Plan had dual objectives: to prevent the spread of communism in Europe and to create a strong and prosperous Europe that would be an economic partner of the United States.
* The Berlin Airlift: In 1948-49, the Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin, in an attempt to force the Allies out of the city. The Allies responded with the Berlin Airlift, a massive airlift operation that supplied the city with food, fuel, and other necessities. The Berlin Airlift was a major victory for the Allies, as it demonstrated their determination to defend West Berlin and their commitment to the containment of communism.
Military Measures
* NATO: In 1949, the United States and its Western European allies formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a military alliance designed to deter Soviet aggression. NATO was a major success in containing Soviet expansion in Europe, as it provided a credible military deterrent to Soviet military power.
* The Korean War: The Korean War (1950-53) was a major proxy war between the United States and the Soviet Union. The war began when North Korea, a communist state supported by the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea. The United States led a coalition of UN forces to repel the North Korean invasion, and the war ended in a stalemate. The Korean War was a significant escalation of the Cold War, and it demonstrated the willingness of the United States to use military force to contain communism.
* The Cuban Missile Crisis: The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred in 1962, when the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba. The crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, and it was resolved through a diplomatic agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Cuban Missile Crisis demonstrated the dangers of nuclear weapons, and it led to arms control agreements between the United States and the Soviet Union.
The Western Allies' response to Soviet expansion in the Cold War was a complex and multifaceted affair. The measures taken by the Allies included political, economic, and military measures, and they were successful in containing Soviet expansionism and preventing the spread of communism to Western Europe.