The primary concern of the U.S. during the Cold War was the containment of communism and the spread of Soviet influence around the world. U.S. policymakers believed that communism posed a direct threat to democratic societies and capitalist economies. As a result, the U.S. adopted a strategy of containment, which included military, economic, and diplomatic measures to prevent the expansion of communism. This led to significant involvement in international conflicts, such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War, as well as the establishment of military alliances like NATO. The Cold War shaped U.S. domestic and foreign policies for several decades.