The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan

The Truman Doctrine

some european countries at the end of World War II was attracted to communism this was because it seemed like an effective way to build a fairer society after the devastation of war

Harry truman gave a speech to congress in march 1947. He hated communism and sent a message to the soviet that communism expansion had to end he stated -

• communism posted a real threat and he will do anything to stop it

• he would support any country under the threat of becoming communism and that communism had to be contained

The policy of the containment became known as the truman doctrine

The Marshall Plan

In 1947 the US government launched the european recovery plan known as the marshall plan to provide countries with the economic support they need after the war

The Aims :

• to enable quick economic recovery in europe so that communism wouldn’t look as attractive

• To encourage european countries to work with the USA and

• Create a market for american goods and help the US economy

The Plan:

13 Billion US dollars were given to countries in europe that denounced communism and accepted aid . Aid was offered to all countries in europe but only 15 accepted including the UK, France, Italy, West Germany, Greece, Turkey, Sweden, Norway and Iceland . all other eastern european countries that were controlled by the USSR refused

• The aid helped to rebuild war-torn economies, stabilize governments, and prevent the spread of communism in Western Europe. Additionally, the Marshall Plan fostered economic cooperation and integration among the participating countries

Stalins Response

he believed the truman doctrine and the marshall plan was a threat to the communist countries in eastern europe and responded with cominform and comecon

Cominform established in 1947

1. Stalin saw the truman doctrine as major threat to communism

2. he created the communist information bureau known as the cominform

3. cominform brought together the countries of the eastern bloc together to form one group that followed the policies set by stalin in moscow

Comecon established in 1949

1. Stalin saw the marshall plan as and example of dollar imperialism (the usa using its wealth to secure and spread capitalism around the world

2. stalin told the countries to not accept the marshall plan

3. Stalin created the comecon as an alternative to the marshall plan

4. Countries that signed up for comecon agreed to work together and share resources to rebuild their countries as equal partners it was tightly controlled in moscow