1. The Early Cold War Years

2. The Long Telegram
February 22, 1946  George Kennan responded to the request for information on Moscow with the Long Telegram, a 5,540 word message
Soviet view point came from “traditional Russian sense of insecurity” and was intensified by Marxist thought

3. The Long Telegram
Stated that the United States need to practice “a long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies”
Containment  keeping communism within its present territory through the use of diplomatic, economic, and military actions

4. Crisis in Iran
March 1946  the Soviet troops in Iran had not left following WWII like promised
Stalin began to demand some of Iran’s oil supply
Americans viewed these actions as a Soviet push into the Middle East
Secretary of State sent a strong message to Stalin to withdraw
Soviet troops withdrew after pressure from the USS Missouri

5. The Truman Doctrine
Stalin turned towards Turkey after his defeat in the Middle East
August 1946  Stalin demanded joint control of the Dardanelles with Turkey
President Truman ordered the aircraft carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt to join the USS Missouri in protecting Turkey

6. The Truman Doctrine
March 12, 1947  Truman asked for $400 million to fight communism in Turkey and Greece
Truman Doctrine  aid “free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures”

7. The Marshall Plan
June 1947  Secretary of State George C. Marshall proposed the European Recovery Program, or Marshall Plan
Gave European nations American aid to rebuild their economies
Truman saw this and the Truman Doctrine as two halves of a whole in fighting communism
Marshall Plan was offered to Eastern Europe, but they refused the aid and instead, the Soviets developed their own economic program

8. The Berlin Airlift
US officials determined that the Soviets were trying to undermine Germany’s economy
United States, France, and Great Britain merged their zones of Germany and Berlin

9. Berlin Airlift
June 1948  Soviet Union cut off all road and rail traffic to West Berlin
Berlin Airlift  June 1948-Spring 1949, American forces flew in supplies to the people of West Berlin
Stalin lifted the blockade on May 2, 1949

11. NATO American public wanted an alliance with Western Europe
April 1949  North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was created
Initially included 12 countries: United States, Canada, Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Iceland
NATO was a mutual defense alliance
Soviets responded with the Warsaw Pact, a military alliance with Eastern Europe