Truman Doctrine

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CAUSES - Soviet Expansion in EE

Iron Curtain

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CAUSES - Long Telegram

George Kennan argued many things within the telegram, but directly relating to the Truman Doctrine, he argued:

Soviets felt threatened by Capitalism so made out the West to be evil and corrupt

This resulted in a Russia which was determined ‘to advance relative strength of USSR as factor in international society’

He, therefore, prophecised the Soviets would do all in their power to encourage communism and weaken capitalism

Effectively, within the telegram, Kennan provided the American government with an anti-communist, anti-USSR argument. He saw them as evil and malicious and encouraged the belief that they were an enemy of the US. His telegram had such a profound impact due to his residence in Moscow and thus first-hand experience of events. The telegram also outlined what policies should be adopted by the US to combat communism - these were translated to the Truman Doctrine.

Many historians, such as John Gaddis, regard the long telegram as seminal in shaping US policy. The telegram also made Truman's decision inescapable: he needed a clearly defined foreign policy framework.

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CAUSES - Greece & Turkey

Mediterranean countries were devastated by WWII: inflation and unemployment rose and civil war broke out.

Soviets wanted power and influence in this area due to trading and oil links, putting these countries under 'risk' of communism.

Americans assumed Britain would continue to a play a major role in the med and thus contain this 'risk.'

However, in 1947, Britain announced they could no longer afford to support Western governments in the Mediterranean in their fight against communism, due to a crippling economic depression. They warned America they would have to withdraw financial and military aid to Greece and Turkey by the end of March.

This catalysed American action. Truman now perceived an even greater threat of communism as the pro-western Mediterranean governments had lost their main support. He felt Stalin would take this opportunity to encourage the Yugoslavs in Greece and Turkey o launch a similar uprising as Itlay had faced after the second world war.

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EVENTS - Truman's speech

12 March 1947, addressing Congress, Truman told Americans it was their duty to intervene 'I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.’ 'I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes'

This effectively meant America had declared political war on the USSR

$400 million given to Greece, $100 million to Turkey

Main points of the Truman Doctrine:

CONTAINMENT - stop it from growing any further

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CONSEQUENCES - Rivalry grew

The world divide into two armed camps

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CONSEQUENCES - Cominform 1947

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CONSEQUENCES - American commitment to containment

After the American's supplied aid to Greece, the monarchists won the war and thus proved that the Truman Doctrine was successful, spurring on the American commitment to containment.

Marshall plan