What was the primary concern of the United States during the Cold War?

The primary concern of the United States during the Cold War was communism. This period, which lasted from approximately the late 1940s to the early 1990s, saw a fierce ideological and geopolitical struggle between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, the latter representing a communist state. The U.S. aimed to contain the spread of communism around the globe, believing that it posed a significant threat to democracy and capitalism.

As communism spread to various countries, the U.S. adopted various policies and strategies such as containment, which included military and economic aid to countries resisting communist influence. Events like the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis were direct manifestations of this concern, as the U.S. engaged in proactive measures to prevent the expansion of communism into new territories.

While fascism, isolationism, and imperialism were concerns at different points in history or in different contexts, during the Cold War, communism was undeniably the central issue shaping U.S. foreign policy and national security strategy. The U.S. focused on countering the influence of Soviet communism, solidifying alliances with other nations, and promoting democratic governance worldwide as part of its efforts to address this ideological struggle.