coldwar- USA's involvement in Europe

what was USA’s initial approach to europe

was based on the intention to work towards the reconstruction of a democratic region, whose members would be committed to mutual cooperation and indeed cooperation on a wider international scale

was europe doing well at this time

No - europe was steadily deteriorating as millions of people faced the prospect of starvation

what did clayton argue about europe

that without a substantial increase in aid from the USA europe would experience social economic and political disintegration on a regional scale

by 1947 what was strategic planning focussed on

not only ensuring economic recovery in the wake of WW2 but also promoting unity within europe

what would unity within europe lead to

a stable and independent bloc of pro - american states

which two states had a special relationship with eachother and why

britain and USA - both needed eachother , UK needed US to help support its international status and US need UK because of its influence in europe

Dean g. acheson

• 1893-1971

• US state secretary 1949-1953

• one of the architects of the marshall plan

• committed to containment

when was the marshall plan launched

april 1948

what was the marshall plan

US program which gave economic aid to 16 countries in europe over the next five years

how much money was given in aid by the marshall plan

13.5 billion dollars

what was the condition for receiving marshall aid

• some of the aid had to be spent on importing goods from the USA

• recipients were also required to share economic information with the USA

why did USA introduce marshall plan

• to benefit the american economy by helping in europes economic reconstruction

• aimed at promoting european unity

• a stable economic bloc would be created which would reinforce trumans idea of containment

what type of market did the US want in europe

a single european market

why would marshall plan stop spread of communism

continued post-war economic stagnation could lead to communist regimes being democratically elected into office by despairing populations and that such regimes would fall under influence of the Soviet Union - if countries receive economic aid and prosper people would not be desperate to look at communism for help

what countries in europe was the USA concerned about

Italy and francehow

how many members did the french communist party have in 1947

1.7 million

what would happen if france was not helped by US

continuing economic crisis could lead to growing support for the movement and this would result in soviet union having an opening for influence in europe

who was offered marshall aid

all european states - including soviet union and eastern bloc states

how did the USSR view the marshall plan

dollar imperialism

why did USSR fear the marshall plan

believed that this US influence might start to spread into eastern europe and thereby undermine their sphere of influence

by 1947 which countries were not fully under communist control

hungary and czechoslovakia

which eastern bloc countries were considering marshall aid

Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia

when was the paris peace conference

july 1947

who walked out of the paris peace conference

soviet union

when was cominform established

September 1947

what did stalin order eastern european states that expressed an interest in marshal aid

to reject it and align with the USSR

what was USSR’s foreign policy as a result of marshal plan

greater tightening of soviet control over eastern europe as marshall plan was US strategy to undermine the soviet sphere of influence

what did USA try to achieve by giving marshal aid to eastern bloc countries

move these states closer to western democracy by integrating their economies with the rest of western europe

what two actions by USA indicated in creating a clearly defined west german state that was to become a leading force in the unification of an economically stable and united western european bloc

• creation of bizonia january 1947

• creation of deutschmark June 1948

why did the marshall plan mark significant shift in us policy towards germany and berlin

it suggested that the USA recognised that a strong germany economy was fundamental to the development of a european economic recovery

what did zhdanov refer the USA’s intention to construct a western bloc as

‘ as an american protectorate ‘ - november 1948

reasons why US policymakers didn’t want a reunified germany

• a reunified germany might become too powerful through the manipulation of the western and eastern powers

• germany might align itself with the USSR particularly if the communist influence already present assumed greater force in a reunified germany

• the extent of american influence could be undermined as germany developed a degree of economic dominance that would ensure its independence