Iron Curtain (1B)

• The Communists wanted Greece to be Soviet Republic
• Churchill sent British troops in Greece to help supervise elections
• In 1946, a civil war broke out between 2 rival groups in Greece
• Stalin was trying to gain influence in Turkey because he wanted access to the Mediterranean for Soviet Ships
• Truman feared if Turkey became an ally of the USSR, it would be a stepping stone for Communism to spread into the Middle East
• The Middle East was important to the USA because of all its oil reserves
• Truman wanted to resist the Communist threat, but had to still convince the American public and US congress
• To convince the US public and Congress, Truman exaggerated the threat in Greece and Turkey
• Congress agreed to pass the Greece and Turkey aid bill in March 1947
• This Bill was a package of £400 million in aid to Greece and Turkey
• The Truman Doctrine, started in March 1947 and had the USA prepared to send money, equipment and advice to any country threatened by Communist takeover
• Truman accepted Eastern Europe was Communist and aimed to stop it spreading any further in his policy of containment
• Truman believed Communism succeeded when people faced poverty
• Truman sent George Marshall to assess the European economy and found it ruined
• George Marshall suggested $17 billion of aid would be needed to rebuild Europe's prosperity
• In December 1947, Truman put his plan to Congress and was refused for a short time
• Americans were worried in Truman being involved in foreign affairs
• American attitudes changed when the Communists took over Czechoslovakia in 1948
• Immediately, Congress accepted the Marshall Plan, which allowed $17 billion available over a period of 4 years
• The Marshall Plan although helping Europe, also helped the USA by creating new markets
• Stalin was suspicious of the Marshall Plan
• He forbade any of the Eastern European states apply for it
• Stalin set up COMECON in 1949
• Stalin set up COMINFORM in 1947
• Stalin believed the anti-communist aims behind the Marshall Aid would loosen his grip on Eastern Europe
• Stalin also felt the USA was trying to dominate as many states as possible by making them dependent on dollars
• All Communist governments followed Stalin's orders except for Tito in Yugoslavia
• The Soviet Union kept up a propaganda battle against Tito, but never took military action
• In 1948, Bizonia merged with France's zone to become Trizonia
• In 1949, Trizonia became known as West Germany
• Within a few months, Trizonia had a new unified currency
• Stalin felt that USA's handling of Germany was proactive
• Berlin was located deep into the Soviet zone and was only linked to the west through vital roads
• In 12th of June 1948, Stalin blocked all of these supply lines, cutting of 2 million West Berliners from western help
• Stalin believed this would make the Berlin entirely dependent on the USSR
• Truman wanted to show he was serious about his policy of containment so on the 24th of June 1948, the allies airlifted supplies
• In May 1949, Stalin reopened communications, ending the airlift
• As a result of the Berlin Blockade, Germany was divided into 2 nations
• In October 1949, the Communist zone became East Germany