The spread of communism in Europe, The Trumane Doctrine and Marshall Aid. Flashcards
How were Us attitudes changing towards Europe between 1945 to 1947?
The USA played no part in Europe in 1945 when the war ended, until communism began to spread and it was in their interest to help European countries defeat communism, taking on the role of the world’s police men in stopping the spread of communism
Explain the past events in Greece that played in the emergence of the Truman Doctrine
After the end of ww2 the allies had agreed to help train and equip the Greek army which was engaged in civil war with Greek communists. In March 1947 the British government announced that it could no longer afford to keep funding the Greek forces. This worried Truman who feared that if Greece became communist so too would it’s neighboring countries and the oil rich middle east.
What was Truman’s explanation for increasing the USA’s involvement in European affairs?
He told congress that rather than remain isolated as it had done between the first and second world war it would now be the USA’s policy to use military or economic means to stop countries falling to communism either from external invasion or internal revolution. Countries that are very poor are much more likely to fall to communism as they fell capitalism has failed them.
Explain the differences in the US and soviet attitudes towards the Marshall plan.
The USA’s attitudes to the Marshall plan was that +it is logical that the United States should do whatever it is able to do to assist in the return of normal economic health in the world without which can be no political stability” ***
