Chapter 3: US Attitude to Britain/Europe

Question 1

What was the USA’s initial approach to Europe?

Answer 1

Wanted work towards the reconstruction of a democratic region, with all countries committed to cooperation. long-term military of political entanglement in Europe beyond the time it would take to establish political and economic reconstruction there.

Question 2

There was no indication that the US..

Answer 2

regarded Europe as a springboard for the development of a global power for itself.

Question 3

What was the perspective on the poverty in Europe? By Dean G. Acheson and Clayton.

Answer 3

Dean G. Acheson (Assistant Secretary of State) 1945 situation in Europe showed an international problem, threat to international democracy based on capitalism. Poor future prospects for Europe. William Clayton 1947 concluded Europe was deteriorating, millions faced starvation. Without increase in aid from US, Europe would experience social, economic and political disintegration

Question 4

What was US strategic planning on Europe focused on apart from ensuring economic recovery in the wake of the Second World War? What did the US believe that this would lead to?

Answer 4

Promoting unity within Europe. This would lead to a stable and independent bloc of pro-American states. By 1947, the USA had reached the conclusion that only Western Europe could be moulded into this and to this extent had committed itself to the notion of a divided Europe.

Question 5

How did the USA’s route into Europe come through it’s ‘special relationship’ with Britain?

Answer 5

Britain represented a politically stable state amid other less stable mainland European states. Britain itself was very much the driving force in preserving this relationship.

Question 6

Why did Britain want US support?

Answer 6

There was a need to preserve its own international status. This could only be achieved with the USA’s support through its contribution to Britain’s security.

Question 7

What did Britain not want their relationship with the USA to become?

Answer 7

One of dependency upon the USA, but rather one of mutual support. The USA needed Britain and its role and influence in Europe just as much as Britain needed the USA to reinforce its own international status.

Question 8

Why was Britain the most receptive Western power to the USA’s advances to form an alliance?

Answer 8

Other Western European states were faced with left-wing socialist political groups who appeared less reliable than the British Labour movement. Consensus politics were in place in Britain and this meant that Britain was a state that the USA could do business with.

Question 9

When was the Marshall Plan launched?

Answer 9

June 1947

Question 10

What did the Under-Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, Clayton return from a fact-finding tour of Western Europe to conclude? 1947.

Answer 10

A failure to revive the economies of European states would damage the USA economically. He predicted the loss of markets for American goods, and consequent unemployment of the USA, he emphasized a sense of urgency in ensuring that these outcomes did not happen.

Question 11

What did Clayton’s analysis exaggerate regarding Europe? He said a failure to revive the economies of European states would damage the USA economically.

Answer 11

The economic importance of Europe to the USA, but it did illustrate the USA’s rising concern about the nature of its long-term relationship with Europe.

Question 12

What did George Kennan’s policy planning staff (PPS) state that the view of US aid to Europe should be on?

Answer 12

Upon the restoration of Europe’s economic strength rather than on combating communism.

Question 13

What did the Marshall Plan’s aid entail?

Answer 13

Over the next five years, the Marshall Plan provided $13.5 billion to 16 countries in Europe. This came not only in the form of money but also through goods.

Question 14

What was a condition of receiving the aid involved in the Marshall Plan?

Answer 14

Some of it had to be spent on importing goods from the USA. Recipients were also required to share economic information with the USA.

Question 15

What were the aims of the Marshall Plan?

Answer 15

Part of an American economic strategy to benefit the American economy by helping in Europe’s economic reconstruction, but also aimed at promoting European unity. A stable European bloc would be created which would reinforce Truman’s idea of containment.

Question 16

Why did the Marshall Plan reverse the trend of countries falling into Soviet Union control (so the USA believed)?

Answer 16

It was not inspired as a strategy to prevent Soviet military intervention into Western Europe, but recognized the risk that continued past-war economic stagnation could lead to communist regimes being democratically elected into office by despairing populations. USA was convinced that this would result in such regimes falling under influence of Soviet Union, and the Marshall Plan would prevent this.

Question 17

Why did the Soviets see the Marshall Plan as an example of American economic imperialism?

Answer 17

They believed that the US influence might start to spread into EE and undermine their sphere of influence.

Question 18

By 1947, which two countries were not fully under communist control?

Answer 18

Czechoslovakia and Hungary, and there were still communist- dominated coalition governments with some interest in receiving Marshall Aid.

Question 19

What conference did the Soviet Union walk out of in July 1947?

Answer 19

The Paris Peace Conference.

Question 20

What did the Soviet Union establish July 1947?

Answer 20

Cominform

Question 21

What did Stalin order of Czechoslovakia, and those Eastern European states that had expressed an interest in Marshall Aid?

Answer 21

To reverse their decisions.

Question 22

What did the Marshall Plan accelerate?

Answer 22

The division of Europe and further undermined the possibility of international relations being based on some degree of cooperation and consensus between the two superpowers.