Assignment: Blame
Name:
Read through the following material about the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan. Then
conduct your own online research.
Answer the questions at the end using supporting evidence you found.
Every nation must choose between different ways of life ... We must help free peoples to work
out their own destiny in their own way.
President Truman, speaking in March 1947.
This ‘American duty’ is just a smokescreen for a plan of expansion ... They try to take control
of Greece by shouting about ‘totalitarianism’.
The Russian newspaper Izvestia, March 1947.
Greece and Turkey
By 1946, Greece and Czechoslovakia were the only countries in eastern Europe that weren’t
Communist.
Even in Greece, the government, which was being supported by British soldiers, was having to
fight a civil war against the Communists.
In February 1947, the British told Truman they could no longer afford to keep their soldiers in
Greece. President Truman stepped in. The USA paid for the British soldiers in Greece.
Truman noted that Turkey too was in danger from Soviet aggression, so Congress voted to give
aid to Turkey as well.
Part of the money was given in economic and humanitarian aid, but most was spent on military
supplies and weapons.
Truman Doctrine
In the 1930s, America had kept out of Europe’s business.
Now, on 12 March 1947, Truman told Americans that it was America’s DUTY to interfere
(Source A). His policy towards the Soviet Union was one of ‘containment’ – he did not try
to destroy the USSR, but he wanted to stop it growing any more. This was called the
‘Truman Doctrine’.
The Marshall Plan
In June 1947, the American general George Marshall went to Europe. He said every
country in Europe was so poor that it was in danger of turning Communist! Europe was ‘a
breeding ground of hate’.
He said that America should give $17 billion of aid to get Europe’s economy going and stop
Communism.
Marshall said that it was up to the countries of Europe to decide what they needed. In
July 1947, led by Britain and France, the countries of western Europe met in Paris, and
asked for substantial economic aid.
Cominform
The Soviet Union hated Marshall aid (see Source D). Stalin forbade Communist countries
to ask for money.
Instead, in October 1947, he set up Cominform. Every Communist party in Europe
joined. This allowed Stalin control of the Communists in Europe.
Revised version from CLARE, JOHN D. (2002/2010),Greenfield History Site (http://www.johndclare.net)
Then, in January 1949, Stalin created Comecon - an economic union of the Communist
countries in eastern Europe. This allowed Stalin to control the Iron Curtain economies for
the benefit of Russia - for instance, one of its rules was that all inventions had to be
shared.
Czechoslovakia
At first, the American Congress did not want to give the money for Marshall Aid. But then,
in February 1948, the Communists took power in Czechoslovakia, followed on 10 March
by the suspicious suicide of the popular minister Jan Masaryk.
Congress was scared, and voted for Marshall Aid on 31 March 1948.
This cartoon of 18 June 1947 by EH Shepard
for the British magazine Punch shows
Truman and Stalin as two taxi-drivers trying
to get customers.
The 'customers' are labeled 'Turkey',
'Hungary', 'Bulgaria', 'Austria'.
Revised version from CLARE, JOHN D. (2002/2010),Greenfield History Site (http://www.johndclare.net)
This cartoon of 1 October 1947 by EH
Shepard for the British magazine Punch
shows Marshall (on the left) telling 'Uncle
Sam' - i.e. the American nation - that
American Aid is needed to shore up the
countries of western Europe: 'Come on Sam!
It's up to us again.'
The cartoon, which was published in Czechoslovakia
in 1949, was drawn by the team of Russian artists:
'Kukriniksy'. The title is ‘Marshall’s Plan in
practice’. General Marshall holds guns, and harnesses
labelled ‘for the French’ and ‘for the Germans’.
Revised version from CLARE, JOHN D. (2002/2010),Greenfield History Site (http://www.johndclare.net)
Using supporting evidence from what you read and your own research, answer the following
questions:

How do you think other nations viewed the rising conflict between the US and USSR?

Why did the Marshall Plan make the Russians so angry?

Did the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan cause the Cold War?

Who do YOU think was to blame for the Cold War?
Revised version from CLARE, JOHN D. (2002/2010),Greenfield History Site (http://www.johndclare.net)