Here is an example of something that might be said by a supporter of the containment policy:
“The Soviets are an aggressive enemy of the US. They want to expand their influence and their ideology. (communism) We need to confront them, but not on a battlefield. With the readily available atomic weapons this would be too dangerous. Instead, we must contain the Soviet Union to it’s current borders through the funding of anti-communist countries. As the richest and strongest nation, we have a duty to secure the safety of every other country in the world. Communism is a weak and flawed system. It only survives by expanding their borders and influence. If we kept the Soviets in their current borders, the system would collapse from within.”
“The Soviets are an aggressive enemy of the US. They want to expand their influence and their ideology. (communism) We need to confront them, but not on a battlefield. With the readily available atomic weapons this would be too dangerous. Instead, we must contain the Soviet Union to it’s current borders through the funding of anti-communist countries. As the richest and strongest nation, we have a duty to secure the safety of every other country in the world. Communism is a weak and flawed system. It only survives by expanding their borders and influence. If we kept the Soviets in their current borders, the system would collapse from within.”
The symbol of the Soviet Union
“It is clear that the main element of any United States policy toward the Soviet Union must be that of a long term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies.” - George Kennan
This is a quote by George Kennan supporting the containment policy. The containment policy revolved around keeping the U.S.S.R. in its current borders. This is what this quote describes. "...a long term, patient but vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies" is exactly what the containment policy was. George Kennan wanted a containment of Russian expansive tendencies, therefore, this quote supports the containment policy.
This is a quote by George Kennan supporting the containment policy. The containment policy revolved around keeping the U.S.S.R. in its current borders. This is what this quote describes. "...a long term, patient but vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies" is exactly what the containment policy was. George Kennan wanted a containment of Russian expansive tendencies, therefore, this quote supports the containment policy.
A map showing the political situation during the Cold War. Red is the Soviet Union and its allies, blue is the Americans and their allies, green is the colonies of America's allies and grey is neutral. (As of 1953)
"Soviet power...bears within itself the seeds of its own decay.... [If] anything were ever to disrupt the unity and efficacy of the [Communist] Party as a political instrument, Soviet Russia might be changed overnight from one of the strongest to one of the weakest and most pitiable of national societies," - George Kennan
This quote shows how pro-containment Americans felt about the strength of a communism.
Citations For Containment:
Bodenner, Chris. “Cold War Containment Policy.” Issues & Controversies in American History. Infobase Learning, 2 May 2007. Web. 9 Jan. 2017. <http://icah.infobaselearning.com/icahfullarticle.aspx?ID=107305>.