1. COLD WAR: LECTURE 2
How did US try to contain Communism in Europe

2. AGENDA OF THE LESSON
 By the end of the lesson, you would be able to:
 Appreciate the:
 Truman Doctrine,
 The Marshall Plan and
 NATO
 The benefits of such approaches
 The draw backs of containment

3. THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE, MARCH 1947
 Soviet expansion in Europe increasing - US and allies. Truman
decided that US must prevent this.
 Under the Truman Doctrine USA would:
 prevent Communism from spreading
 help any country , threatened by Communism
 Put his doctrine into action by:
 Giving money & weapons to Greece and Turkey which were in danger of
being taken over by communists - able to stop the spread of communism
with US aid.
 Stalin responded - formed the Communist Information Bureau
(COMINFORM) – alliance of Communist parties to keep
Communist Bloc countries together.

4. MARSHALL PLAN, JUNE 1947
 Another way of containing communism – through
offering financial aid to Europe. Plan was named
after George Marshall who directed it.
 Aims of the plan
 help Europe recover economically from WWII
 build a prosperous Western Europe – able to resist
Communism.

5. MARSHALL PLAN, JUNE 1947
 US Containment Policy:
 By making Europe rich and strong again, he would help
to create stable, Capitalist, democratic governments in
Europe.
 US believed that with the Marshall Plan – people in in
Europe would become more prosperous and therefore
not support Communism.

6. MARSHALL PLAN, JUNE 1947
 Details of the Plan:
 16 countries in Western Europe agreed to the Marshall Plan.
 Between 1948-1952 these countries – received $13 billion in aid, loans and
goods.
 Marshall extended aid to East Europeans. Stalin refused – felt that the Plan –
was aimed at extending influence there.
 Soviets formed an organization that would encourage trade between
Communist states in Europe. COMECON did not really improve the economies
of these states.
 Benefits
 Western government still recovering – still better than large skins
 Marshall Plan also divided European economies into halves - heightened tensions

7. NATO (NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION)
 Europe was divided into two spheres of influence: The
Communist and Capitalist spheres.
 US & USSR – forced to seek military allies. US tried to
increase their forces in Europe – set up NATO.
 NATO – a military alliance formed by US and 11 other
countries. Its aims were:
 To defend Europe from Soviet attack.
 Attack on European allies by Soviets would be considered an
attack against all.

8. NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION
 1955 - USSR decided that it would set up Warsaw Pact. All
communist countries in Europe (except Yugoslavia) joined the
Warsaw Pact.
 Benefits of NATO/Warsaw Pact:
 NATO and the Warsaw Pact protected the member states but;
 Also heightened tensions in Europe during the Cold War.
 The US was contented that the Truman Doctrine, Marshall
Plan and NATO could contain Communism within Europe.

9. OUTCOMES OF CONTAINMENT
 World War II alliance between Britain, US and USSR after
1945 not close – mutually suspicious of each others
intentions. USSR viewed US moves in Europe as trying to
establish control there.
 Containment helped to check Soviet expansion into Western
Europe.
 However, also increased tensions in Europe as:
 both sides tried to gain allies to bolster their defenses against
possible attacks from the other.

10. CRISIS IN EUROPE – BERLIN BLOCKADE
 Conflicts over how to administer Germany led to a crisis
between Britain, France, US and USSR in 1948.
 Germany divided into four zones. Berlin – also divided
into four zones.
 The four countries agreed to administer Germany
together under a joint administration.

11. MAP OF GERMANY AND BERLIN (1948)

12. BERLIN BLOCKADE
 In 1948: Britain, France and US joined their separate
zones in Germany and also created a new currency for
Germany.
 These actions helped the West German economy to
recover – Western powers also encouraged free
elections in West Germany.
 Stalin was fearful that the West would make Germany
strong again and threaten Russia.

13. BERLIN BLOCKADE – STALIN’S STRATEGY
 Stalin planned to seize control over the whole of
Berlin – by blocking off road, rail and canal links
between East and West Germany – June 1948.
 He thought of forcing the allies to leave Berlin by
blocking off all supplies.

14. BERLIN BLOCKADE – US STRATEGY
 US felt it was important to support West Berlin
because:
 Berlin represented the democratic system.
 Concerned that if it pulled out of Berlin – Soviets would
be emboldened and attack the whole of West Germany.
 Yet the US and allies were very cautious – could
not start a full scale war by sending in troops to lift
the blockade.

15. BERLIN BLOCKADE – LIFTING THE SIEGE
 To avoid war, Pres. Truman ordered a fleet of planes to
fly over Berlin and drop food supplies and other supplies
into Berlin.
 Over 10 months – 2 million tons of supplies were flown
into West Berlin. About 2.5 million Berliners were kept
warm throughout the winter of 1948.
 After 10 months – Stalin realized that Blockade was a
failure – West was determined to support West Berlin –
called off the blockade in May 1949

16. BERLIN AIRLIFT

17. CONCLUSION
 War time alliance was at an end – US and allies were mutually
suspicious of each other.
 US and USSR locked in a struggle to gain allies and influence in
Europe (later the world)
 These tensions did not escalate (become worse) because both
sides were fearful of starting another war – Europe still
recovering from WWII.
 Both sides preferred to use threats and “challenge” each other –
but these never amounted to direct military actions.