The Truman Doctrine and The Marshall Plan Flashcards
Explain “containment”
- Containment was the name given to the USA’s foreign policy after the war.
- Having been forced to accept the expansion of the USSR’s influence in eastern Europe, the USA was determined to prevent the further spread of communism.
Explain “Truman Doctrine”
- USA was prepared to send money, equipment, and advice to any country which was threatened by a Communist take-over.
- Started with USA’s intervention in Greece in 1947, “The Truman Doctrine” marked a new era in the USA’s attitude to world politics.
- Intervention instead of isolation.
What was the rationale behind the “Marshall Plan”?
Communism succeeded when people faced poverty and hardship, as was the case in Europe at the time.
What did American George Marshall find when assessing the economic state of Europe?
- Ruined economy.
- Cost of rebuilding damanged homes.
- Damage caused by war to infrastructure.
- Countried of Europe owed $11.5 billion to the USA.
- Extreme shortage of food and clothing. Most countries were still rationing bread.
- Refugees.
- Homeless people.
- Shortage of fuel.
How bad was the coal shortage in Britain in 1947 winter?
So bad that all electricity was turned off for a period each day.
What did the Marshall Plan propose?
$17 billion would be needed to rebuild Europe’s prosperity.
When did Marshall put his plan to Congress?
December 1947.
Why did Congress have reservations about the plan?
- Congress was concerned with the extent of Truman’s involvement in foreign affairs.
- 17$ billion was a lot of money.
Why did Congress agree to the plan?
- The Communist took over Czechoslovakia in March 1948.
- Anti-Soviet leaders were purged.
- Jan Masaryk (last Communist leader, pro-American) was found dead below his open window.
- The Communists said he had jumped. Americans suspected he had been pushed.
How would Americans have justified the plan?
- Marshall Aid was an extremely generous act from Americans.
- Marshall Aid created new markets for American goods. America just recovered from the 1930s Depression and Truman wanted to do all he could to prevent another worldwide slump.
What did Stalin think of the Marshall Aid?
- He viewed it with suspicion.
- Dollar imperialism: America was intent on making Europe dependant on their dollars in order to dominate as many countries as possible.
- America would also have far more control over the markets, and be able to weaken Stalin’s grip on Eastern Europe.
What did Stalin do as a result of this attitude?
- He forbade any of the Eastern European states to apply for Marshall Aid.
- Set up Comecon.
What is Comecon and when was it set it?
- An economic union of the Communist countries in eastern Europe.
- January 1949.
What is the aim of Comecon?
- It allowed Stalin to control the Iron Curtain economies for the benefit of Russia.
- Eg: one of its rules was that all inventions had to be shared.
