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Difficulty: MediumOrigins of the Cold War and Containment

Source: National Security Council Report 68 (NSC-68), April 14, 1950.

'The fundamental design of those who control the Soviet Union is the complete subversion or destruction of the machinery of government and structure of society in the countries of the non-Soviet world... [Soviet] efforts are now directed toward the domination of the Eurasian land mass. The United States, as the principal center of power in the non-Soviet world and the bulwark of opposition to Soviet expansion, is the principal enemy whose integrity and vitality must be subverted or destroyed... We must, by a rapid and concerted build-up of the actual strength of both the United States and the other nations of the free world, create a situation which will enable us to negotiate from strength...'

The perspective described in the excerpt most directly contributed to which of the following developments in United States foreign policy during the early Cold War?

  1. A significant increase in military expenditures and the global expansion of U.S. security commitments.Answer
  2. B
    The restriction of containment efforts solely to Western Europe to avoid regional conflicts in Asia.
  3. C
    A decision to rely on unilateral economic trade restrictions while maintaining strict military neutrality.
  4. D
    The initiation of military operations to enforce the Monroe Doctrine in the Western Hemisphere.

Answer

The perspective described in the excerpt most directly contributed to a significant increase in military expenditures and the global expansion of U.S. security commitments.
The correct answer is correct because NSC-68 advocated for a rapid and concerted buildup of the actual strength of both the United States and the other nations of the free world to negotiate from strength. This ideological framing directly contributed to the tripling of the U.S. defense budget and the transition of containment from a primarily economic strategy (such as the Marshall Plan) to a highly militarized, global endeavor.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus document (NSC-68) to identify its core argument.
The document calls for a rapid and concerted buildup of the actual strength of both the United States and the free world to counter Soviet designs.
Understanding the primary source's recommendation is necessary to determine its historical impact.
2
Identify the historical developments in U.S. foreign policy that followed the release of NSC-68 in 1950.
The U.S. dramatically increased defense spending (which tripled as a percentage of GDP) and committed to global military alliances and interventions (such as in the Korean War).
This connects the document's recommendations directly to the subsequent militarization of containment.
3
Evaluate the options to find the one that matches the militarization and global expansion of containment.
The option describing a significant increase in military expenditures and the global expansion of security commitments is correct.
It directly reflects the historical consequences of the policy shift advocated in NSC-68.

Key Concept

Origins of the Cold War and Containment
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Origins of the Cold War and Containment

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