Which policy aimed to stop the spread of communism?

The policy aimed at stopping the spread of communism is containment. This strategy was developed in the aftermath of World War II, primarily during the Cold War, as a response to the expansion of Soviet influence throughout Eastern Europe and beyond. The key tenet of containment was to prevent communism from spreading to new areas, rather than trying to eliminate it where it already existed.

Containment was articulated by U.S. diplomat George Kennan in the late 1940s and became the guiding principle of American foreign policy. It led to various actions, including military interventions, economic support to allies, and the establishment of alliances like NATO. The policy sought to limit Soviet power and prevent the domino effect where one country falling to communism would trigger similar outcomes in neighboring nations.

In contrast, isolationism refers to a policy of avoiding political or military involvement in international affairs, which does not align with the active measures taken under containment. Engagement involves actively cooperating and negotiating with other nations, while interventionism suggests direct involvement in foreign conflicts, but these concepts did not specifically target the spread of communism in the same ultimately strategic manner as containment did.