In the aftermath of the Second World War, civil war erupted in Greece between Western-orientated government forces and Communist rebels. The Truman administration subsequently became heavily involved in the internal conflict, including the establishment of an American military presence on Greek soil and regular arms shipments. This early containment policy, focusing on Greece as a crucial outpost in the Mediterranean arena, was symbolic of "America's Commitment to Free World Principles", and her fear that the Soviet's ultimate goal was world domination.