REACTION OF THE WEST

MARSHALL AND TRUMAN

WHO?

By Mr Crowewww.SchoolHistory.co.uk

THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE

What was it…..It was very simple…..

Whereas before WW2 the USA had been isolationist isolationist and not got involved in Europe….NOW……

Because of the fear of Communism the USA was prepared to intervene throughout the world to protect democracy against communism….

By lending equipment, advice etc ( and eventually military force)

The main aim was to stop communism spreading further

This policy was called CONTAINMENTCONTAINMENT

THE MARSHALL PLAN 1947(Marshall Aid)

What Was it?

• An American response to the poverty and hardship in post war Europe

• Who was Marshall?

•An American General and American Secretary of State, sent to assess the economic state of Europe

Details

Economies in ruins

Shortages of goods

Bread still rationed

Coal shortages – in GB electricity cuts each day

It was thought that these were the conditions in which communism thrived

WHY?

Marshall’s reaction

• Lend 17 million dollars to Europe

• Congress against it UNTIL Czechoslovakia became Communist and death of Jan Masaryk

• 1948 – Plan passes by Congress – to last four years

• CNN Cold War - Episode Script: Marshall Plan

What a nice gesture by the Americans.

• Yes BUT…..

• The aid came in the form of goods made by American firms

• So there was an element of American self-interest to prevent another depression in USA

CNN - Cold War

And Stalin

• He hated Marshall Aid!!• Forbade Eastern European countries from having

anything to do with it• Regarded as anti-Communist• Feared that it might weaken his hold on Eastern

Bloc• And Eastern countries would swing to the US

dollar.• CNN Cold War - Episode Script: Marshall Plan