Operation Blue Bat was justified by which doctrine?

• A. Monroe Doctrine
• B. Eisenhower Doctrine
• C. Truman Doctrine
• D. Bush Doctrine

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the Eisenhower Doctrine committed the United States to intervene, including militarily, in Middle Eastern countries that faced communist aggression or influence. In the 1958 Lebanon crisis, U.S. forces landed to support the pro-Western Lebanese government against a coup backed by regional and Soviet-backed forces. That intervention was presented as carrying out the Eisenhower Doctrine: the U.S. would use force if needed to defend Middle Eastern states from communist expansion and to maintain regional stability and access to strategic resources. This makes it the best fit for Operation Blue Bat, which aimed to deter Soviet influence in the region. By contrast, the Monroe Doctrine centers on the Western Hemisphere, the Truman Doctrine was a broader Cold War containment policy without the explicit regional commitment to the Middle East, and the Bush Doctrine pertains to post-9/11 actions.