<P> In February 1946, Kennan, an American diplomat in Moscow, sent his famed "Long Telegram", which predicted the Soviets would only respond to force and that the best way to handle them would be through a long - term strategy of containment, that is stopping their geographical expansion . After the British warned that they could no longer help Greece, and following Prime Minister Konstantinos Tsaldaris's visit to Washington in December 1946 to ask for American assistance, the U.S. State Department formulated a plan . Aid would be given to both Greece and Turkey, to help cool the long - standing rivalry between them . </P> <P> American policy makers recognized the instability of the region, fearing that if Greece was lost to communism, Turkey would not last long . Similarly, if Turkey yielded to Soviet demands, the position of Greece would be endangered . A regional domino effect threat therefore guided the American decision . Greece and Turkey were strategic allies important for geographical reasons as well, for the fall of Greece would put the Soviets on a particularly dangerous flank for the Turks, and strengthen the Soviet Union's ability to cut off allied supply lines in the event of war . </P> <P> To pass any legislation Truman needed the support of the Republicans, who controlled both houses of Congress . The chief Republican spokesman Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg strongly supported Truman and overcame the doubts of isolationists such as Senator Robert A. Taft . Truman laid the groundwork for his request by having key congressional leaders meet with himself, Secretary of State George Marshall, and Undersecretary of State Dean Acheson . Acheson laid out the "domino theory" in the starkest terms, comparing a communist state to a rotten apple that could spread its infection to an entire barrel . Vandenberg was impressed, and advised Truman to appear before Congress and "scare the hell out of the American people ." On March 7, Acheson warned Truman that Greece could fall to the communists within weeks without outside aid . </P> <P> When a draft for Truman's address was circulated to policymakers, Marshall, Kennan, and others criticized it for containing excess "rhetoric ." Truman responded that, as Vandenberg had suggested, his request would only be approved if he played up the threat . </P>

I believe that it must be the policy of the united states to