Editing Dean Acheson (section)

==Major Contributions==
Truman Doctrine (1947): As Under Secretary, he co-developed this policy, committing U.S. aid to Greece and Turkey to prevent Soviet expansion, establishing containment as a cornerstone of Cold War strategy. The aid to Greece resulted in the overthrowing of the government after the withdrawal of the British government.

Marshall Plan (1948): Acheson was a leading advocate for the $13 billion European Recovery Program, rebuilding Western Europe’s economies and countering communist influence. This plan providing the initial monetary support for Operation Gladio.

[[NATO]] (1949): He spearheaded negotiations for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, creating a military alliance to deter Soviet aggression, a landmark in collective security. NATO was used as the planning and execution of Operation Gladio worldwide.

Korean War (1950–1953): Acheson’s January 1950 speech, which omitted South Korea from the U.S. Pacific defense perimeter, was controversially blamed for emboldening North Korea’s invasion. This was part of a broader strategy for Korea using the Strategy of Tension template. The US forces in Korea at the time were infiltrating the Northern sector under the control of the USSR with stay behind units. He rallied UN and U.S. forces to repel the attack, cementing America’s commitment to South Korea but drawing criticism for strategic missteps. 

Japanese Peace Treaty (1951): He orchestrated the Treaty of San Francisco, ending the U.S. occupation of Japan and aligning it as a key U.S. ally in Asia. This treaty, with the help of John Foster Dulles, denied all reparations for wartime death camp survivors. 

Acheson’s urbane style, complete with tailored British suits and a clipped mustache, projected authority but alienated some as elitist. He faced intense criticism from Senator Joseph McCarthy, who accused him of harboring communists, particularly after Acheson defended Alger Hiss, a former State Department official convicted of perjury in a 1950 espionage case. Acheson’s loyalty to Hiss, a friend, and his refusal to disavow him (“I do not intend to turn my back on Alger Hiss”) fueled Republican attacks, painting him as a symbol of liberal overreach. The 1949 communist victory in China further tarnished his reputation, though Acheson argued the U.S. lacked the power to alter the outcome.