Harry R. Truman - Foreign policies Flashcards
Truman Doctrine
State Department Officials used the ‘rotten apple’ analogy.
One rotten infected the the whole barrel, so communism in Greece and Turkey would spread to neighbouring states.
Truman was concerned congress wouldn’t allow funding to Greece and Turkey, as American public opinion wasn’t ready for peacetime use of American manpower to defend distant places.
Truman had to persuade republican congress to allocate funds to combat communism in Greece and Turkey - congress granted $400 million in which $250 went to Greece and $150 to Turkey.
Marshall Plan (European recovery programme)
Practical outcome of the Truman Doctrine.
1948-52 $12.7 billion and $13 billion before the Marshall Plan to European countries had an enormous impact in Western Europe.
Debated aid to USSR and satellite states if countries agreed for the US to review their finances
- Stalin didn’t allow this so European countries did not benefit
Causes of the Berlin Crisis
June 1948, allies introduced a new currency, ‘ the Deutschmark’ to give Trizonia economic unity.
- Soviets furious as it created a separate economic unit from the East
- Acknowledged that there were now 2 Germany’s - the East and the West
Stalin saw the formation of Trizonia more effectively and deliberately forced the Soviet zone into poverty - determined to stand firm and protect soviet interests.
The Berlin blockade
June 1948, Stalin shut off all land routes into Berlin - Stalin perceived many moves by the West as aggressive.
The west knew the only way to force supplies into Berlin is through air corridors, which was risky as the only way to prevent this was for them to be shot down.
Trumans three options in the Berlin blockade
(Third option in Flashcard 5)
Truman could either surrender and get out of Berlin, which would be a humiliating loss for the US and make them an unreliable ally.
He could send military convoys to autobahns in West Berlin, but this was too aggressive and could lead to war.
Operation Vittles
Western allies flew coal, food and other necessities from allied zones along air corridors.
West Berlin and troops allied together to build a runway at Berlin Tempelhof and an entirely new airport called Berlin Tegel to fly supplies into western zones.
US / UK flew 1000 tonnes of supplies daily, with Berliners receiving 2300 calories a day, higher than the UK rationing system at the time.
Stalin’s attempt to win propaganda over the west had backfired.
Consequences of the Berlin Blockade
Formation of East and West Germany -
Federal republic of Germany May 1949 (West) allies permitted zones to come together
August, Germans allowed to elect government called ‘Bundestag’
September, Chancellor Adenauer took office and new capital named ‘Bonn’
NATO:
Stalin threats to take over Czechoslovakia in spring 1948, combined with the Berlin Blockade, persuaded Truman to send Stalin a message about standing firm against communism.
Convinced congress to increase defence expenditure to US membership of NATO
April 1949, US, Britain, France and 9 other countries set up the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
- If any allied member were attacked, all of NATO were to assist
European countries were to welcome American involvement and Western European countries to reach out to the US if necessary.
Origins of the Korean War
The Russians ended their military occupation in Korea in 1949 and the US withdrew its occupying troops, refusing to provide aid to Rhee in the south.
June 1950, North Korea crossed the 38th parallel into South Korea - But, American advisors had wrongly believed they were ordered to invade by Moscow.
Truman’s assistant Secretary of State said “the relationship between Russia and North Korea was the same as that between Walt Disney and Donald Duck”.
Truman sent air & naval assistance to the 38th parallel without congressional approval, preventing communism
NSC-68
Democrats blamed for ‘loss’ of China by republicans, so Trumans administration had to do something about the USSRs atomic bomb & China - outcome was a 66 page policy paper by the National Security Council in April 1950, stating the US embarked on rapid military expansion and nuclear arsenal. such as the hydrogen bomb. Estimated costs of $50 billion, but only $13 billion was spent.
Truman was set aback by the costs associated, hesitating to support heavy tax increases during a time of peace in the US, however, the outbreak of the Korean war in 1950 prompted Truman to sign the NSC policy, which became the foundation of Cold War policy until the 70s.
General MacArthur
In September 1950, Rhee reestablished his gov. in Seoul and MacArthurs troops were at the 38th parallel awaiting further orders from the US. The policy of containment had been achieved, but Truman and MacArthur wanted to achieve total destruction of North Korean forces to eliminate communism in Korea.
Truman & MacArthur met at Wake Island in October to discuss the situation, where MacArthur told Truman ‘I know the Chinese will not intervene’, however Communist Chinese condemned the invasion and said they wouldn’t allow Korea to be crushed. After so many confident assertions by MacArthur, American soldiers were killed in sleeping bags by the Chinese.
In December, Truman instructed MacArthur to make no public statements on foreign affairs without clearing them with Trumans superiors, in which MacArthur then raised a ‘military appraisal’ to meet with Commander in Chief to meet an end to the conflict. In April, Truman fired MacArthur.
