1.2: development of cold war

• | impact of the truman doctrine

  • kennan long telegram confirmed truman's fear
  • USSR wanted to spread communism throughout europe
  • many european countries were destroyed; in these conditions, communism looked attractive to poor members of society
• | the truman doctrine

  • brit gov in 1947 announced they couldn't give military support
  • truman took action!
• | truman doctrine

  • 12 march 1947, truman delivered a speech to US congress
  • announced economic aid to greece & turkey
  • US would provide $400 million aid & military staff
  • used it as an opportunity to make a statement of the differences between communism & democracy
  • communism is the minority forced against majority
  • would provide aid to those resisting communism
  • these ideas were the truman doctrine; signalling the beggining of a new approach to international relations- CONTAINMENT
• | marshall plan - fighting communism w/ aid

  • US didnt suffer as much as europe had
  • outcome of truman doctrine
  • provided aid to war-torn countries to stop communism
  • 1948-52: US gave $12.7 billion of aid
  • impact was big but took until 1950s for effects to be seen
  • countries would first have to agree to a thorough review of finances so eastern countries didn't benefit as stalin would likely be against it
• | dollar imperialism

  • stalin believed US was trying to extend its influence in europe; undermining international role of UN
  • marshall plan used economy to divide europe in 2
• | impacts of doctrine & plan on relations

  • any belief of a grand alliance was gone, US set themselves as a direct opposition to USSR
  • stalin's suspicions of west were reinforced; believed he had evidence that US wanted to destroy USSR
  • marshall plan tied western eu to support USA; europe now divided into 2 political camps
• | cominform, 22 september 1947

  • 9 members: USSR, bulgaria, czech, hungary, poland, romania & yugoslavia
  • yugoslavia expulsion in june 1948 & hq moved to romania
  • new body gave stalin way of controlling governments of satellite states; ensure they follow communism & orders
  • encouraged to trade with other cominform members & contact with non-communists was discouraged
• | comecon, 25 january 1949

  • would not let satellites to accept marshall aid
  • direct composition with marshall plan
  • arranged trade between member countries
  • after 1953, tried to organise industrial planning across all satellite states
  • each state had a 5 year plan
• • stalin formed cominform & comecon in response to the threat he believed the marshall plan posed to the USSR
  • however his actions increased tension & played a significant part in the USA & western europe countries creating a new military alliance- NATO in april 1949