Henry Wallace Letter
Sourcing: Who was Henry Wallace? When did he write this letter?
Close Reading: What is Wallace’s main argument?
Corroboration: How does Wallace’s description of American foreign policy compare to Truman’s and Novikov’s?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
- Sourcing: Henry A. Wallace was the Vice President of the United States under Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1941 to 1945 and later served as Secretary of Commerce. He wrote this letter in July 1946 to President Harry S. Truman.
- Close Reading: Wallace’s main argument is that the United States should avoid an aggressive stance against the Soviet Union and instead pursue a policy of cooperation and peace to prevent another world war. He warns against militarizing foreign policy and promoting fear of communism.
- Corroboration: Wallace’s view contrasts sharply with Truman’s and Novikov’s. Truman advocated for containing Soviet expansion and saw the USSR as a threat to democratic nations, which he outlined in the Truman Doctrine. Novikov, the Soviet ambassador, viewed the U.S. as seeking world domination and using economic and military power to suppress socialism. Wallace, in contrast, called for peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding, warning that U.S. aggression would provoke the very hostility it aimed to prevent.
Explanation:
Henry Wallace, a prominent American political figure who served as Vice President and Secretary of Commerce, wrote a letter to President Truman in July 1946 urging a change in the U.S. approach to foreign policy. Wallace believed that escalating hostility toward the Soviet Union would lead to unnecessary conflict and possibly another world war. He advocated for a foreign policy based on diplomacy, mutual respect, and international cooperation, rather than military confrontation or ideological crusades against communism. His letter reflected concerns that the United States was becoming too focused on building up military strength and viewing the world in terms of binary oppositions—democracy versus communism—thus fueling global tension.
Wallace’s perspective was more conciliatory than that of President Truman, who by 1947 would articulate the Truman Doctrine, emphasizing the need to contain Soviet influence wherever it appeared. Truman framed the Soviet Union as a direct threat to freedom and democracy, justifying U.S. intervention around the world. On the other hand, the Soviet diplomat Nikolai Novikov described U.S. foreign policy as imperialistic, driven by economic interests and military power to dominate the postwar world. Each saw the other as the aggressor.
In contrast, Wallace’s letter presented a third viewpoint: that both superpowers bore responsibility for easing tensions. He cautioned against turning the Cold War into a self-fulfilling prophecy. While Truman and Novikov’s messages hardened the lines of the Cold War, Wallace’s appeal was a call for restraint and reason, emphasizing that peace could only be preserved through understanding and compromise.
