1.  Republicans come to power on demobilization, business as usual, a cutback in the role of spending, and lower taxes  Hamstrings Truman’s ability to fight the cold war  US has only 1.3 divisions to deal with the 260 divisions of the Soviet Union

2.  US believed that Communism thrived on chaos and poverty, the way to respond to it was to promote stability and prosperity through economic aid  3 Possibilities to deal with it 1. build up military 2. Send military aid to threatened countries 3. Give economic aid to needy peoples

3.  Great Britain pulls aid from Greece and Turkey with the communist in Greece preparing to take over  Undersecretary of State Acheson argues that if they fall a “domino” effect will incur and in Europe. First articulation of “domino theory”  Leads to the Truman Doctrine

4.  “I believe that it must be the policy of the US to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.”  Sent $400 million for Greece and Turkey  For the first time the US had chosen to intervene during a period of general peace in the affairs of peoples outside North and South America

5.  Truman Doctrine leads to Marshall Plan  A massive American aid program to Europe  Wanted to revive the European economy for both economic (buy US exports) and military reasons  Only a healthy economy would support European troops necessary to stop the Red Army  Economic for Western Europe and military for Greece and Turkey

6.  In Greece, guerilla warfare rage on  Chiang was being pushed back in China  Anti-communist in Hungary were destroyed and the election was rigged for the left wing party  The draft was stopped in the US

7.  Provided a single Department of Defense  National Security Council  CIA – to gather information and evaluate intelligence activities around the world

8.  Soviets flew to Prague and forced President Benes to resign and the foreign minister was assassinated. Communist assumed control.  Coup did two things for the adoption of the containment policy 1. Sent a shockwave throughout the civilized world 2. Showed limitations of current American policy because they did nothing to stop it 3. Got the Marshal Plan passed

9.  They would now do covert operations for economic and military warfare and paramilitary activities  Communist were gaining strength in the upcoming Italian elections. The CIA funneled money to the Christian Democrats and they defeated the Communists.  This was cheap and kept the communist out of control of Italy.  The CIA was off and running with covert activities

10. Harry Truman – Democrats Thomas Dewey- Republican Strom Thurmond Dixiecrat or state-rights Democrats