The Truman Doctrine, articulated in 1947, aimed to contain the spread of communism during the Cold War. It arose in response to the perceived threat posed by Soviet expansionism, particularly in Greece and Turkey, where political instability and poverty were viewed as vulnerabilities to communist influence. U.S. President Harry S. Truman asserted that the U.S. would support free peoples resisting subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures, framing it as a moral obligation. This doctrine marked a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, emphasizing active engagement and intervention against communism, ultimately leading to various military and economic assistance programs in different regions globally.