The US Reaction to Soviet Expansionism

The Truman Doctrine

The Truman Doctrine

• Greece and Turkey were struggling to prevent a Communist takeover of their governments

  • They faced a civil war between monarchists and Communists

• In 1947, Britain announced it could no longer provide military support to the Greek government

  • Truman worried about the spread of Communism

  • He decided to take action

• On 12th March 1947, Truman announced that the USA would send $400 million to both Greece and Turkey

  • Truman spoke about how nations have two alternative ways of life:

• The Truman Doctrine promised to provide any country vulnerable to Communism

  • Money

  • Supplies

  • Weapons

  • Advice

• By 1949, the Greek government defeated the Communists 

• This was a new approach to US foreign policy

  • Before the Second World War, the USA had followed a policy of isolationism 

    • They refused to get involved in other countries' affairs

  • The Truman Doctrine replaced isolationism with containment

Marshall Aid

Marshall Aid

• Truman hoped that countries would choose the ‘first way’ of his doctrine

• US General George Marshall visited Europe. He told Truman that:

  •  ‘Every’ country in Europe was at risk of turning to Communism 

    • The Second World War had caused significant destruction

    • Many people saw Communism as a way to redistribute wealth and improve their lives

  • The USA should provide these countries with economic aid

    • Aid would persuade these countries away from Communism

• Truman enacted Marshall’s proposals

  • The US Congress passed the Marshall Plan after Czechoslovakia became communist in 1948

What Economic Benefits Did the Marshall Plan Provide?

• Before the plan, the USA gave $12.7 billion to other countries

• The Marshall Plan gave away $13 billion to 16 European countries in Western Europe:

• The amount of Marshall Aid was based on a country’s

  • Population

  • Pre-war economy 

• British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin described the Marshall Plan as a: 

• The Marshall Plan was offered to the satellite states of Eastern Europe

  • Truman knew that Stalin would not allow them to accept the money

The Impact of the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Aid

• Stalin believed that the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan was

  • A threat to communism and the USSR

  • Taking the role away from the United Nations, which should be the group providing money to other countries

• Stalin called the Marshall Plan ‘dollar imperialism’

  • The USSR believed that the USA was using money to expand its ‘empire’ 

  • The USA wanted Europe to embrace free market capitalism and democracy

    • Marshall Aid would make European countries wealthy enough to buy US exports

    • Building European economies would prevent another Great Depression

• The Marshall Plan had divided the West from the East:

  • Satellite states were in support of the USSR

  • Recipients of the Marshall Plan supported the USA

• The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan increased Cold War tensions