Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, Comecon, Cominform

• Britain were almost bankrupt and couldn't aid other countries - Truman took action
• Truman delivered a speech to the US Congress to announce that the US will provide $400 million in aid to Turkey and Greece


  12th March 1947
• Truman used the opportunity to make a clear statement of what he saw as the differences between democracy and communism
• 2 ways of life described by Truman

  • Majority rule & freedom from political oppression
  • The will of the minority to be forced upon the majority (communism)
• Truman: 'Choosing democracy over communism is like choosing good over evil'
• The Marshall Plan was a practical outcome of the Truman Doctrine. It provided economic aid to war-torn countries to stop communism taking over
• During the time the Marshall Plan was in action the USA gave $12.7 billion of aid
• Before WW2 USA had followed a policy of isolationism - this was abandoned due to the Truman Doctrine
• In order to receive aid from the from the Marshall Plan, the country must commit to trading with the USA & review the countries finances
• Marshall Plan + and - :

  + Plan supported Greece in defeating the communists

  + Confirmed the USA's commitment to containing communism

  --Deepened the rivalry between US and USSR

  -- Confirmed the split between communist & non-communist Europe
• Dollar Imperialism (Soviet response):

  • People were now reliant on America and their money
  • People/countries indebted to America all the time
  • Undermined UN, suggesting it was America's job to protect the world
• Stalin hated the Marshall Plan
• Soviet Response to the Marshall Plan:

  • Stalin hated the Marshall Plan
  • Believed the Truman Doctrine showed USA was trying to extend it's influence in Europe
  • Undermined the international role of the UN
  • Marshall Plan is using economic might to divide Europe into 2 and establish an American economic empire (Soviets referred to this as 'dollar imperialism')
• Cominform- September 1947

  • A political organisation set up by Stalin on the 22nd September 1947
  • There were 9 members
  • Headquarters was in Yugoslavia, Yugoslav communists were the strongest support - tension between Yugoslavia and USSR grew, Yugoslavia expelled (Headquarters moved to Romania)
  • Satellite states encouraged to trade with Cominform members
  • Contact with non-communist countries was discouraged
• Comecon - January 1949 Stalin didn't allow satellite states to accept Marshall Aid --> he knew he needed to offer an alternative to keep control --> he created comecon 25th Jan 1949

  • Comecon provided aid in line with communist principles - in direct competition with Marshall Plan
  • Comecon aimed to support economic development - arranged trade & credit agreements
  • 1953, industrial plan set up for satellite states - each state needed a 5yr plan
  • Trade with USA & West was discouraged
• Stalin formed Comecon and Cominform in response to the threat he believed the Marshall Plan posted on the Soviet Union

  However this played a significant part in the formation of NATO