What was the primary focus of the U.S. government during the Cold War?

The primary focus of the U.S. government during the Cold War was the containment of communism. This strategy emerged as a response to the perceived threat posed by the Soviet Union and the expansion of communist influence worldwide. Policymakers believed that if communism could be contained and prevented from spreading to new regions, it would eventually collapse under its own weight.

The doctrine of containment guided U.S. foreign policy decisions, leading to various actions such as the Truman Doctrine, which provided support to countries resisting communism, and the Marshall Plan, designed to rebuild Western European economies to thwart the appeal of communism. Military engagements, such as those in Korea and Vietnam, further exemplified this commitment to containing communist power.

While promotion of democracy, expansion of NATO, and support for colonial powers were all significant elements of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War, they were secondary to the overarching goal of preventing the global spread of communism. Thus, containment was the central strategy around which many policies were formed and executed during this period.