Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, Cominform and Comecon

Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, Cominform and Comecon

1. Truman Doctrine : 1947

   • CAUSE
     • Britain could no longer afford to support Greece
       • Truman provides Greece with economic and military support
     • Truman was afraid of further spread of communism
   • RESULT
     • Greek gov was able to defeat the communists
     • Relations between both sides worsened
       • World divided into two sides
     • USA became more involved in Britain
   • WHAT IT WAS
     • Policy of containment
       • To prevent Soviet expansion
     • Offering of $400 Million of aid

2. Marshall Plan : 1947

   • CAUSE
     • Truman did not want to use military forces to prevent communism
       • General George Marshall puts forth the idea of the Marshall Plan
     • After the reconstruction of European economy, US exports would increase
     • Very similar to the Truman Doctrine - offered more money and more aid
   • WHAT IT WAS
     • Economical aid was given to all war torn countries
       • Those that were at risk of falling to communism
     • Agriculture and trade recovered
     • Cash and technology/machinery given
   • RESULT
     • Stalin loses trust for USA
       • Believes they are trying to create a sphere of influence in Western Europe
       • Refuses Eastern European countries to accept the aid being offered to them from USA
     • Stalin accuses the plan as being only beneficial for US exports
     • By 1953 USA had handed out $17 Billion to poor European countries

3. Cominform : 1947

   • RESULT
     • It benefited the USSR
       • They were able to purge any member who disagreed with soviet policies
         • ie. Tito
   • CAUSE
     • A response to the Truman Doctrine
       • To organise Eastern European communist governments
   • WHAT IT WAS
     • It introduced Soviet-style policies
       • ie. Collectivisation fo agriculture and state control of industry

4. Comecon : 1949

   • CAUSE
     • A response to the Marshall Plan
     • A policy where USSR would financially support Eastern Europe
   • WHAT IT WAS
     • The financial support meant that the countries that were being "supported" relied on the USSR
       • Would have to offer their military services in exchange and any agricultural produce
   • RESULT
     • It benefited the USSR
       • They gained full economical control of these countries
       • Allowed them to access resources from these countries