President Harry Truman responded to the spread of communism beyond Soviet-run Eastern Europe by adopting a policy of containment. This policy aimed to prevent the further spread of Soviet influence and communism around the world, through the use of military, economic, and diplomatic means. One of the most significant actions taken under this policy was the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, which created a military alliance of Western nations to counter the Soviet threat. Additionally, Truman implemented the Marshall Plan, which provided aid to help rebuild and strengthen the economies of Western European nations that had been devastated by World War II in order to prevent them from becoming susceptible to communist influence. Overall, Truman's response was focused on stopping the spread of communism while also avoiding direct military confrontation with the Soviet Union.
