Chapter 2: Greek Civil War, Truman Doctrine, Cominform Flashcards
What did the USSR and the USA regard each other as?
Not only as a threat to national security, but also as being expansionist and a global strategic threat.
When was the emergence of a Cold War seemingly irreversible?
By September 1946. East-West relations had developed a momentum that was grounded in mistrust and fear, and whilst these had always been characteristics of international relations, a new set of dynamics had been added after 1945.
What happened at the Paris Peace Conference, 1946?
WSep and Oct, leaders from France, S Union, UK and USA met to draw up peace treaties for the defeated European powers e.g Finland, Germany, Italy, Austria. Settlements were not reached for Germany or Austria, but treaties for the other countries were drafted, and signed in 1947. All included clauses regarding territorial adjustments, reparations, and anti-fascist requirements for the post-War governments.
What new approach did the USA adopt regarding it’s economy?
The USA was the dominant world economy and it intended to use this power as part of its foreign policy. This was a new approach for the USA.
What had the Soviet Union succeeded with in Eastern Europe?
In establishing the beginnings of national security based on a system of satellite states in EE.
What did the Soviet Union realise could further enhance it’s security?
By developing its portfolio of pro-Soviet states, and this meant expanding pro-Moscow communist-led regimes beyond Europe.
What triggered a reorientation of US foreign policy?
Came in Europe. Stalin had agreed that Greece should remain within the Western sphere of influence after the War. When Greece was liberated from Nazi occupation, a civil war erupted between Greek communists and monarchists. Brit provided aid to the anti-communist forces in Greece, but Feb 1947 it announced this was no longer available and appealed to USA to assume the financial burden. USA intended to use it’s dominant world economy as part of foreign policy.
What did Truman say in a speech March 1947?
“I believe that our help hshould be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes”
Help- with countries threatened by communist takeover.
What was the Truman Doctrine caused by/
The Greek Civil War. Communists vs Monarchists, and Britain could no longer afford aid, so America stepped in, realising their economic might was key to restricting the spread of communism.
What effect did the Truman Doctrine have on international relations from 1947?
International relations would be founded upon division, each side suspicious of the other. The TD institutionalised this as the working basis of East-West relations for at least the next 25 years.
What was significant regarding Truman’s actions in Greece?
He did not turn to the newly created United Nations as the arbiter for the dispute in Greece, although this may have been because he thought USSR would use its veto power to prevent any UN intervention in the Greek Civil War.
What were the motives behind Truman’s Doctrine?
Keep S Union from aiding Greek communism, protect democracy and freedom and no aggressive intent, response to Soviet aggressive expansionism in EE, demonise SU and communism to public, provoke SU, developing US economic power- creating enemy, showing itself as protector of enemy which would make other states dependent on USA, or a step towards containment as US post War policy (next step was Marshall Plan, designed to reinforce Doctrine).
What was the Truman Doctrine?
Aid provided to help other countries to resist communism. Under the TD, economic aid was given to Greece and Turkey.
What was Stalin’s Cominform a response to?
US economic imperialism and the reconstruction of Germany through the Marshall Plan. Stalin was convinced that the USA was not interested in any model of international relations that was based on multiple spheres of influence that could coexist, thought that the USA was engineering an anti-Soviet, US-led global alliance.
What was Stalin’s previous perspective on the US and how did this change?
Believed that capitalist states would ultimately collapse, due to the economic rivalry that would develop among them. This view was replaced by a certainty that the USA was engineering an anti-Soviet, US-led global alliance.
