How successful was Truman at waging Cold War in the West?

Details

• In the Truman Doctrine, the president stated it was the responsibility of the USA to prevent the spread of communism. 
• Truman exaggerated the threat to alarm Congress into voting for aid for Greece & Turkey.
• Congress voted to give $400mn, $250 of whch went to Greece & remainder to Turkey.

Significance

• Clear decleration of war
• Represented culmination of US fears & policy to date
• Doctrine was accompanied by an increase in military preparation

How successful?

• Hostile Republican Congress to vote him money
• In getting American public to support him
• Criticised by Rep. Senator Taft - too simplistic to divide the world in two
• George Kennan said it was too sweeping as did not ask the right questions

Details

• Designed to improve the USA's war making capacity by merging War & Navy Departments into a new enlarged Defence Department based at the Pentagon. 
• Established the CIA

Signficance

• Central Intelligence Agency's function was to gather intelligence on actual or potential enemies.
• CIA engaged in spying & secret operations abroad & was an important instrument of containment.
• Act also created the National Security Council which reported directly to the president - gradually assumed an important role in developing policy towards the USSR.

Details

• Programme of economic assistance for Western Europe.
• US saw Europe as being in economic crisis.
• Whilst grim, was not as bad as US feared.
• Main purpose was to contain communism. 
• Aimed to make communism have less appeal.
• Proposed large grants which European countries would use to purchase food, raw materials & industrial machinery from US - also stimulating US economy
• Soviets were invited to join although Washington didn't actually want them to participate.

Significance

• Stalin rejected it as perceived it as a challenge to his control.
• Stalin feared the Soviets would be left without resources & markets & the sphere of influence would disintegrate.
• Soviets created the Molotov Plan.
• Sept 1947: Cominform was established.

Signficance

• Between 1948 & 1952,spending came to $13bn - main recipients were Britain, France & Germany. By 1952, industrial production increased by 35% & agricultural output by 10% in these states - MP accelerated post war recovery.

How successful?

• Stalin's rejection signalled the economic & political division of Europe.
• Iron Curtain really did begin to descend across Europe.
• Hungary, 1948: non-communists expelled from govt
• Feb 1948: the Czech expressed an interest - pro-Western Czech foreign minister Jan Masaryk was murdered.
• Opposition from Congress to financing MP crumbled after thte Czech murder.

Details

• Stalin blocked Western Access to the Western zones by road, rail & waterway - prupose: force Americans to drop proposals for a West German State.
• Truman responded by air lifting supplies into Berlin.
• American & British planes flew more than 200,000 planes into Berlin in 320 days, delivering food & coal to 2mn west Berliners.
  Stalin ended blockade in May 1949.

Significance

• First crisis of the Cold War.
• Both Stalin & Truman not prepared to risk all-out war.
• Stalin's plans failed.
• Led to creation of a strongly pro-Western American Western state.
• Led to establishment of NATO. 

How successful?

• Truman had shown he was not prepared to give in to Stalin - marked a major victory for the Americans.
• In the face of the Blockade, the Western powers demonstrated great unity and commitment. 

Details

• US believed it was engaged in a battle with Soviets to win the hearts of German people.
• May 1949: constitution drawn up for a new West German state - combo of the 3 Western zones.
• After blockade, free elections took place & Federal Republic of Germany born in Sept 1949.

Significance

• Oct 1949: Soviets set up an East German state called the German Democratic Republic.
• A one party state governed by communists. East Germans started to patrol, mine & fence the 850 frontier with West Germany.

How successful?

• Partition of Germany a microcosm of division of Europe.
• Neither superpower could afford to allow the whole of Germany to fall under the other's influence. 

Details

• Military alliance of 12 states.
• Agreed to adopt principle of collective security.

Significance

• Europe now divided militarily, politically & economically.
• NATO membership borugh military advanteges to US.
• In event of a Soviet invasion, US not solely responsible. 
• European states provided valuable air bases.
• USSR created Warsaw Pact in 1955.

How successful?

• American sphere of influence further consolidate in the West.
• Historic moment in US foreign policy - first treaty signed with a European state since American Revolution.
• NATO stabilised Europe - Asia became Cold War arena after this.