ABSTRACT
The following year, 1948, was a major turning point for those intellectuals who remained opposed to Truman's new policies. The Czech coup (in February), the most startling Communist takeover in eastern Europe, and the beginning of the Berlin
The first approach, which I call the "Stalwart," had many adherents in the early 195o's who, although they held divergent political philosophies and disagreed on the best means of opposing communism, were agreed on certain basic premises. A central premise was the belief that Stalin's Russia was of the same character as Hitler's Germany-a totalitarian state which could not change, except for the worse.14 Another was that the Soviet Union was committed (because of its ideology and Stalin's lust for power) to the cause of world chaos and revolution and the expansion of its own power either through aggression or subversion. Communism was monolithic. All Communist parties throughout the world, subject as they were to Stalin's will, were united in his aggression. Only the United States had the power to contain this menace. Despite its many impedections, the United States was the world's last best hope. Indeed, some Stalwarts argued that by simply performing the negative function of containing communism, the United States, at the same time, could and would act as a force for positive good throughout the world.
