The development of the Cold War Flashcards
What was the background of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan?
President Truman saw that the British army alone would not stop Turkey and Greece turning Communist.
Truman’s speech offering a nightmare spread of Communism was designed to “scare the hell out of congress”. $400million was voted through to help stop Turkey and Greece turning Communist.
Truman’s wish to “contain” was inspired by the report issued in Kennan’s Long Telegram from Moscow.
The Marshall Plan was an expansion of the Doctrine. Hundreds of millions of dollars were promised to Europe to help rebuild their economies.
What was the importance of the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan?
The political effects:
- Committed the USA to promoting the moral superiority of Capitalism over Communism and brought the USA and the USSR more into a battle of ideas
- The popularity of Communism among the voters of Britain, France and Italy began to decline as economic prosperity returned to those countries.
The international relations effects:
- The USSR strengthened their control over the Satellite States in Eastern Europe; forcing them to decline the offer of Marshall Plan money.
- The USSR demonstrated this control with the creation of Cominform in 1947 and then Comecon in 1949.
What were the consequences of Cominform (1947) and Comecon (1949)?
Cominform: Leaders of Eastern European countries became no more than “puppet leaders” controlled by Moscow. Any protest against Moscow’s control would be harshly cracked down upon. Hungary 1956.
Comecon: A planned economy for all of Eastern Europe was set up, meaning trade with the Capitalist West became impossible. This is crucial for understanding the worsening relations and the cemented divide between the USA and the USSR because countries that don’t trade tend to have relations that could lead to war.
What did NATO (1949) mean for the Cold War?
The USA was now not just economically but militarily committed to Western Europe.
How was Berlin divided after WW2?
Four Zones - The USA, USSR, Britain and France
Britain, France and the USA combined their zones into Trizonia in 1947/48. A new currency was introduced into West Berlin in 1948 at the time of the Marshall Plan.
What was the importance of the Berlin Blockade?
It represented the first crunch point of the coming Cold War / a threat of a real war.
It demonstrated that the USSR under Stalin’s leadership was willing to see how far they could “push” the USA to pursue their interests.
What was the importance of the Berlin Airlift?
It demonstrated the USA was true in their commitment to Western Europe.
The end of the Blockade and the Airlift was the defining moment in creating the formal separation of a West Germany (FRG) and an East Germany (GDR).
