Post-War Europe

Communism “a system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed” common Communism is JUST a form of economy but it is usually associated with authoritarian political regimes

Truman Doctrine “ Stalin is not that kind of man... He doesn't want anything but security for his country, and I think that if I give him everything I possibly can, and ask nothing from him in return, noblesse oblige, he won't try to annex anything and will work with me for a world of democracy and peace. ” —Franklin Roosevelt President Truman was much more suspicious of Soviet intentions under Stalin  Truman supported a plan of containment (this was first espoused in the Truman Doctrine)  Containment = Prevent expansion of communism  Do NOT “roll back” or end communism where it already exists  First exercised in Greece & Turkey

Truman Doctrine “ Stalin is not that kind of man... He doesn't want anything but security for his country, and I think that if I give him everything I possibly can, and ask nothing from him in return, noblesse oblige, he won't try to annex anything and will work with me for a world of democracy and peace. ” —Franklin Roosevelt President Truman was much more suspicious of Soviet intentions under Stalin  Truman supported a plan of containment  Prevent expansion of communism  First exercised in Greece & Turkey  $$$ & military aid

Iron Curtain “ From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an "iron curtain" has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia; all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject, in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and in some cases increasing measure of control from Moscow. ” -Winston Churchill, March 1946

Marshall Plan ( ) US plan to help rebuild & create stronger economic foundations for Europe  Offered to USSR – they declined  Gave $13B Major goal - link Germany with western Europe  Help prevent spread of communism

Berlin Airlift First major conflict of Cold War Soviets wanted the west out of Berlin

Berlin Airlift First major conflict of Cold War Soviets wanted the west out of Berlin  Cut off travel & prohibited supplies into West Berlin Allies supplied Berlin entirely by air, delivering:  646 tons of flour & wheat, 125 tons of cereal, 64 tons of fat, 109 tons of meat & fish, 180 tons of dehydrated potatoes, 180 tons of sugar, 11 tons of coffee, 19 tons of powdered milk, 5 tons of whole milk, 3 tons of fresh yeast, 144 tons of dehydrated vegetables, 38 tons of salt & 10 tons of cheese  3,475 tons of coal and gasoline  This was per day!  24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949  At height: 1 plane reached Berlin every thirty seconds

Berlin Airlift-- Learn 360