During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?

The primary concern of the United States during the Cold War was communism. This period, spanning roughly from the end of World War II to the early 1990s, was characterized by geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, both of which sought to expand their influence globally. The U.S. viewed communism, particularly as practiced by the Soviet Union, as a significant ideological and political threat. This led to a range of policies aimed at containment—such as the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, which were designed to prevent the spread of communism in Europe and beyond.

In the context of the Cold War, communism opposed the capitalist democratic values of the U.S., leading to conflicts in various regions, including Korea and Vietnam. The fear of communism also fueled domestic policies, including the Red Scare, which sought to root out communist influence within the United States itself. The focus on communism was so pronounced that it overshadowed concerns related to other ideologies like socialism, fascism, or imperialism during this specific historical period.