Was it a good thing that the U.S. Gov't tried to prevent communism from spreading?

[gofaster]

I've always thought of Communism as simply being a mask worn by oppressive governments.  "People's Republics" aren't for the people, but rather for the leaders who control their people's freedoms of ownership and economic livelihood.

So was the US and NATO right in stopping it?  Sure.  Otherwise we would've had to invade more countries to free them from their oppressors.  

[Ripsnort]

So far, sounds like a few are afraid to commit an answer either way.  So I'll be the first.

I think it was a good thing for the US and other NATO nations to put their foot down when they did.  If they hadn't, Europe might have been overran had the US shown any docile tendancies.

[Eagler]

depends

if you are lazy, don't want to get ahead, do enough just to get by, think everyone should be equal no matter what - communism is your cup of tea

heck -just describe the average handsomehunkcrat/liberal

[Curval]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
So far, sounds like a few are afraid to commit an answer either way.  So I'll be the first.

I think it was a good thing for the US and other NATO nations to put their foot down when they did.  If they hadn't, Europe might have been overran had the US shown any docile tendancies.

No kidding?

But I do like the way "other NATO nations" slipped in there.

"What would the world be like today if we, the US, had not done ANYTHING?" - it wasn't in here, or your original post.

[SOB]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
What would the world be like today if we, the US, had not done ANYTHING?

Well, I don't think we'd see Boroda on this BBS as much, as he'd surely be busy in his post as the Supreme Soviet Information Minister.  


SOB

[Preon1]

OOH!!!  I see this turning into a "We spent tons of years and dollars promoting democracy over communism so lets spend tons of years and dollars promoting democracy over radical religious fundamentalism!" thread.

Actually, I agree with that statement

[SaburoS]

Communism could never exist in the first place without a monarchy or Capitalistic system gone bad. It's all about the have not's against the have's.
Had we not done anything, we'd probably have much more "friendlier" relations with a few more communist countries (such as we're having with China).
Would we have become a Communist country? Nope.
BTW, the US is a Socialistic/Capitalistic country.

[Otto]

Communism, in ALL it variations was responsible for 100 million deaths in the 20th Century.  If stopping that was wrong, "I don't wanna be right"

[Saurdaukar]

Kommunysm is no thet to the Capitelizm, ist plane juzt ridikulus!

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Curval
No kidding?

But I do like the way "other NATO nations" slipped in there.

"What would the world be like today if we, the US, had not done ANYTHING?" - it wasn't in here, or your original post.

Considering the US is/was a Super power...I am saying NATO wouldn't be if it hadn't been for the US...and I believe the Soviets would have control of all of western Europe had we, the US, been passive.

[gofaster]

Originally posted by SaburoS
Communism could never exist in the first place without a monarchy or Capitalistic system gone bad.

Just to clarify, capitalism only really succeeds where there is a democratic style of government and all people feel that they have some say in how they're ruled.  Freedom of ownership is a cornerstone in a capitalistic economy.  Most true monarchies are based on the idea that the monarch owns everything, or could own everything if they so chose.

As I mentioned before, Communism is simply a mask used by oppressors seeking to loot for their own gains by forcing owners to surrender their property to the state.  Communism uses a centralized economy - the Communist state owns everything.  Capitalism doesn't.

I don't think I've ever heard of an instance of capitalism going bad.  In the case of Vietnam, it was a matter of anti-colonial sentiments in a country recovering from a war.  Ho Chi Minh just happened to keep his political infrastructure in place while the other politicians were more concerned with the here-and-now rather than looking forward.

[udet]

this is a dumb question.

OF COURSE IT WAS A GOOD THING

[gofaster]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Considering the US is/was a Super power...I am saying NATO wouldn't be if it hadn't been for the US...and I believe the Soviets would have control of all of western Europe had we, the US, been passive.

Wasn't NATO a response to the Warsaw Pact?  Had it not been for that, I think the countries in NATO probably would've banded together in some form anyway.

[Preon1]

Originally posted by gofaster
Wasn't NATO a response to the Warsaw Pact?  Had it not been for that, I think the countries in NATO probably would've banded together in some form anyway.

hmm...  always thought it was the other way around

[Curval]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Considering the US is/was a Super power...I am saying NATO wouldn't be if it hadn't been for the US...and I believe the Soviets would have control of all of western Europe had we, the US, been passive.

You said this:

Quote -
I think it was a good thing for the US and other NATO nations to put their foot down when they did.

It really doesn't matter though...let me just say THANK YOU AMERICA for preventing the spread of Communism.

Isn't that what you were after when you started this thread?

(and yea....I'm just trying to yank your chain...no pun intended)