Comecon, Cominform, and Marshall aid Flashcards
date the Marshall aid plan was announced?
June 1947
What stimulated the formation of the Marshall aid plan?
2 telegrams. Kennans “long telegram”, and Novikovs telegram.
What was the key message in Kennans “long telegram”?
That USSR 🇷🇺 intended to spread communism through Europe.
As well as Diplomatic feedback from Kennan, What did Truman’s military advisors tell him which influenced his policies and approach with USSR?
That USSR 🇷🇺 was not strong enough to fight successful war against the West.
What was the intended purpose of the Marshall plan?
To fight communism with financial aid
What was a practical outcome of the Truman Doctrine?
The Marshall plan.
What was Truman’s new approach to limiting the spread of communism called?
Policy of containment
What is policy of containment ?
policy of Isolationism?
Isolationism means not getting involved in affairs of other countries. Containment means stopping the spread of a political regime you don’t want.
When had USA 🇺🇸 abandoned Isolationism?
After bombing of Pearl harbour.
WHat was a key message in George Marshalls plan?
That Europe could no longer meet its own need for food 🥘 and essential products, so needed help.
Was Marshall aid only given out as money 💰 to governments?
No. It gave grants to groups in need eg. Nets for Norwegian fishermen 🇳🇴 And mules for Greek 🇬🇷 farmers.
What was meant by the term ‘Dollar imperialism’?
Stalin believed Truman doctrine showed USA was using economics to divide Europe.
How did Stalin respond to Marshall Aid Plan?
He created 2 organisation for communist countries in Europe: Cominform and Comecon.
What date was Cominform?
1947
What does Cominform stand for?
Communist Informstion Bureau
What was Cominform?
A political organisation set up on Stalin’s orders in September 1947 with 9 members.
Who were the 9 members of cominform?
Communist party of USSR 🇷🇺 plus satellite states Bulgaria 🇧🇬 Czechoslovakia Hungary 🇭🇺 Poland 🇵🇱 Romania 🇷🇴 Yugoslavia France 🇫🇷 Italy 🇮🇹.
Which country was later expelled form Cominform?
Yugoslavia
What did Cominform give Stalin?
A way of controlling Satelite states.
What did Stalin want to achieve through Cominform?
That the satellite states took orders from Moscow.
What were the satellite states encouraged to do?
Trade with other Cominform members, and not contact countries that were non communist.
What happened at Cominforms first meeting?
It rejected the Marshall plan, and began to spread propaganda accusing USA 🇺🇸 of being like Nazi Germany 🇩🇪.
What was Comecon?
One of 2 new organisations formed by Stalin in response to Marshall plan.
What did Comecon do and when?
Set up in 1949.
stands for Council for Mutual Economic Assistance.
Purpose: to provide economic aid to member countries, so that they had alternative to Marshall aid.
Which Communist satellite states were part of Comecon?
USSR 🇷🇺 Bulgaria 🇧🇬 Czechoslovakia Hungary 🇭🇺 Poland 🇵🇱 Romania 🇷🇴 East Germany 🇩🇪 Albania 🇦🇱 joined later
What we’re Comecons first activities?
Arrangeing trade and credit agreements between members.
What did Comecon later begin doing ?
After 1953 USSR🇷🇺 Used Comecon to organise industrial planning. Including nationalised industry and group agriculture they were against trade with Western Europe.
What was a consequence of Cominform and Comecon?
Actually increased tensions with West leading to creation of NATO (between USA 🇺🇸 and Western Europe.)
What was the combined impact of the Marshall plan, Comecon, and Cominform?
Europe now polarised into 2 distinct political / economic camps.
