What was the policy of containment in the postwar world?

Question

What was its purpose and how did it evolve from the 1940's to the end of the Cold War?

Answer 1

it was the usa's policy of keeping communism under control. to keep it from spreading. the usa would continue to use this idea throughout the cold war era

Answer 2

Containment was used to 'contain' the Communist threat. It included supporting nations near the Communists so they would not fall to Communism. The Domino Effect/Theory was something much feared; it stated that if part of Europe/Asia fell, it would cause other nations to become Communist as well.