The USA’s involvement in Europe Flashcards
Who was Dean G. Acheson?
was one of the architects of the Marshall Plan and US Secretary of State from 1949 to 1953. He had a key role in the formulation of American policy towards Europe. He was committed to the concept of containment and to ensuring that the USA’s interests in Europe were guaranteed by making its commitment manageable and effective. He was also committed to stopping the spread of communism on a global scale and regarded Asia as a key element in this aim. Acheson was very influential in the USA’s early Cold War policy
What was the ‘special relationship’ between Britain and the USA?
Winston Churchill emphasised a common identity and a shared need for security between the USA and Britain. There was a lasting assumption that these two states would always have this common bond and that it would form the basis of their political, economic and strategic relationship. This notion was something of a myth that grew in the early years of the Cold War and was frequently shown not to exist in reality as the foundation for Anglo–American relations
When was the Marshall Plan launched?
June 1947
How much did the Marshall Plan provide in aid?
$13.5 billion to 16 countries (not only in the form of money but in goods as well)
What was the condition for receiving Marshall aid?
some of it had to be spent on importing goods from the USA. Recipients were also required to share economic information with the USA
How many members did the French Communist Party have in 1947?
1.7 million
How did the Soviets view the Marshall Plan?
as a clear example of American economic imperialism.They believed that this US influence might start to spread into Eastern Europe and thereby undermine their sphere of influence and their security
What was the purpose of the Marshall Plan?
to promote European unity. It was a form of containment which aimed to prevent communists governments being voted into power
Who was Andrey Vyshinsky?
attended both the Yalta Conference and the Potsdam Conference and went on to manage the consolidation of communist power in Romania. A British diplomat described him as ‘a cringing toadie only too anxious to obey His Master’s Voice even before it had expressed his wishes’. Essentially, Vyshinsky was a hard line sycophantic Stalinist
When did the British and American zones of Germany and Berlin merge? (Bizonia)
January 1947
When did the French join their occupational zone of Germany and Berlin with France and Britain’s? (Trizonia)
June 1948
How was Bizonia perceived?
This reinforced the indication that the USA was interested in creating a clearly defined West German state that was to become a leading force in the unification of an economically stable and united Western European bloc
When did the Berlin Blockade take place?
24 June 1948-12 May 1949
When did the USA and Britain stop Germany from taking reparations from their zones?
May 1946
When was the deutschmark launched?
formally activated in June 1948 (introduced February 1948)
