Truman and Foreign Policy

conferences

• YALTA ( FEBRUARY 1945)
• Stalin would join war against Japan once war in Europe was over
• pressure on communists in China to end the civil war
• support of the UN
• Stalin asked for Germany to be weakened and for reparations to paid to him
• Germany to be divided into 4 zones of influence
• Eastern Europe to be Soviet influence; Western Europe to be U.S
• POTSDAM (JULY 1945)
• AGREEMENTS:
• divide Berlin as Germany was divided
• de-militarise Germany
• re-establish democracy in Germany
• ban the Nazi Party
• DISAGREEMENTS:
• Truman wanted free elections in Germany but Stalin refused- this began Truman's tougher stance on the USSR
• Truman saw the danger of punishing Germany( the same way as Versailles) and refused to let Stalin cripple their future.

long telegram, Truman doctrine, Marshall plan

• THE LONG TELEGRAM (GEORGE KENNAN)
• Kennan believed: the USSR wanted to smash Western democracy; leaders could not be trusted; the government wanted to expand; were hostile to the outside world. This was crucial in Truman adopting the containment policy!
• THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE
• verbalised the policy of containment on 12th March 1947 which changed the US from isolationist to internationalist providing money and resources to those who were perceived to be under threat of communism.
• THE MARSHALL PLAN
• this was an economic extension of the Truman doctrine. its aims were for the economic benefits it would bring by getting European competitors to buy US goods but also to stop communism spreading across Europe.

Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe

• POLAND- January 1947 elections rigged to ensure communist government.
• ROMANIA- March 1945 the Red Army disarms the Romanian army and forces the King to elect a communist government, in the 1947 elections communists 80% of votes and the monarchy is abolished
• HUNGARY- after an economic crisis the police were taken over by the police and the PM was forced to resign and in the 1947 elections the communists and then banned all other parties.
• CZECHOSLOVAKIA- communists already popular and had control of the army and the police which they used to seize power. other political leaders were banned and even killed.
• BULGARIA- November 1945 rigged elections ensure a communist win
• YUGOSLAVIA- Marshall Tito was a communist leader who did not take orders from Stalin so was therefore not in the Soviet sphere of influence.

Bizonia and Stalin's reaction

• After Germany and Berlin were divided into 4 zones the U.S and the U.K joined their two areas together to create 'Bizonia' which was set to be rebuilt. Stalin was further alienated when this became 'Trizonia' with the French zone. This then became known as 'Western Germany' with a new currency.
• Stalin was obviously alarmed by this union as this Western zone was looking very attractive to those in the east as it had better resources and infrastructure.
• Stalin felt it would be safer to keep the Soviet Union separate under the communist government. it was impossible to have two currencies in the same city especially with his side in immense poverty.

Berlin Blockade (1948-49)

• 24th June- road, rail and canal links from East to West were cut off in order to get the Western powers to retreat from Germany altogether by forcing starvation on its people the USA and UK did not back down as hoped as over 10 months: 2.3 million tonnes of supplies were airlifted keeping Berliners fed. in may 1949 Soviets lifted the Blockade.
• CONSEQUENCES
• NATO
• Division of Germany
• development of the Arms race

Japan

• the USA were determined to limit Soviet influence in the country and wanted to establish democracy. General MacArthur had dictatorial power and wished to transform Japan from a military state to a democratic one: communists banned from government positions; Feudalism ended; democratic constitution which outlawed war; trade unions were legalised; women given the vote.
• a rebuilt Japan would be vital to US interests in trade and stopping the spread of communism which seemed to be encapturing many Asian countries. therefore, the US poured lots of money and resources into Japan including 500 million dollars in aid.
• the Korean war was a great benefit to Japan:
• Toyota was becoming the major manufacturer
• 1954 Japanese defence industry earned 3 billion dollars from sales
• US signed the security pact with Japan in 1951

China

• civil war between communists (Mao Zedong) and nationalists (Chiang Kai-Shek)= USA favoured Chiang as a communist victory would be against the policy of containment but he was growing unpopular so the Americans did not want to become too closely associated with him. Truman wanted an agreement which would allow US involvement:
• 1945 attempted talks which failed cause of Chiang's failure to compromise; US sent 50,000 troops to aid Chiang after the Soviets pulled out
• Jan 1946 Marshall finds a truce; this collapsed after 3 months as Chiang once again attacked the communists and despite US help failed to capture Manchuria
• US withdraws in 1946 as resentment for Chiang grows
• Truman was met with harsh criticism from republicans after communists won in China in October 1949 but why did Truman fail to intervene:
• Acheson said sending troops would escalate which Americans did not want a land war with China
• Chiang was unpopular in China with both peasants and the middle classes
• when the Soviets and China signed a mutual defence pact in 1950 it seemed this was the start of USSR's dominance and the spread of communism which urther alienated Truman with republicans= fuelled McCarthyism

Korea: the political situation

• the main candidate for leadership was Kim Il Sung who joined the communist party in a campaign against the Japanese and fought for the Soviets during WW2. however without a clear leader the US and USSR governed respective zones of Korea. Hodge was in charge of the US-controlled South. while the USSR was already working on establishing a communist government in the North.
• 1945 Moscow conference it became apparent that both the US and the USSR wanted to see an independent Korea but only if it followed their ideological path- Korea joins Cold war. Truman wanted to hold secret elections in 1947 which the Soviets rejected as they would lose so the issue was taken to the UN. Marshall blamed the failure to reach an agreement in Korea on the USSR. the UN Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK) was to oversee elections in Korea in March 1948 but these were not allowed in the North so the elections took place in the south. Rhee was elected as leader of south Korea so US involvement was scaled back. Kim Il Sung elected as leader in the North and Soviet influence was subsequently reduced.

Korea: reasons for US involvement in war

• POST WAR DIVISION OF KOREA- failure of US-USSR cooperation, creation of 2 Koreas, attack by the North
• CONTEXT OF THE COLD WAR- events in Europe, US attitude towards communism
• STRATEGIC CONCERN TO STOP COMMUNISM IN ASIA- fall of China, important role of Japan
• US DOMESTIV OPINION- Role of McCarthyism
• US FOREIGN POLICY- Support of the UN, Truman doctrine, containment

Korea: what happened?

• 25th June North Korea launched massive missile attack across the 38th parallel and it was expected that this would lead to a quick victory. Stalin authorised the attack because: successfully tested their atomic bomb; China was now an ally; US policy was unclear; the Soviets now knew that South Korea was not US interests. at the start of the war the North Korean army was successful and took Seoul on the 29th of June. the US reacted by attempting to stop the war but much like the South Korean army these attempts were under- equipped. General Walker was able to hold the fort of Pusan for 5 weeks and in the air the USA had a clear advantage. General MacArthur took the North by surprise at Inchon and Walker was able to finally defeat the North at Pusan= the North retreated. However, many felt that Truman could simply just stop there as there would always be a risk that this would continue but the Chinese said that if the US crossed into the North that they would be forced to intervene. When the US did go into the North they were taken by surprise by the Chinese and were forced to retreat even though the Chinese were also significantly damaged by the US airpower. By March 1951 the US had retaken Seoul and the war had come to a stalemate despite MacArthur pleading the republicans in congress for 'total victory' = he was sacked. the war carried on for another 2 years as there was an intense mistrust on both sides and the border could not be agreed.