Constructing the Cold War Harry S. Truman and the Doctrine of Containment, 1945-1949 Questions to Consider 1. Describe the Doctrine of Containment. Who came up with it and why? 2. How does the Long Telegram differ from the “Sources of Soviet Conduct” article from Foreign Affairs? 3. How is the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan the political and economic arms of Containment? 4. How successful was the Economic Cooperation Administration? 5. What were the other Cold War policies of Harry S. Truman? How do they affect the United States in the 1940s and today? Containment George F. Kennan, diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow Wrote analysis of Russian policy now called the Long Telegram, February 1946 “Soviet power, unlike that of Hitlerite Germany, is neither schematic nor adventuristic. It does not work by fixed plans. It does not take unnecessary risks. Impervious to logic of reason, and it is highly sensitive to logic of force. For this reason it can easily withdraw— and usually does when strong resistance is encountered at any point.” "The Sources of Soviet Conduct." by Mr. X. Foreign Affairs, January 1947 1. The Soviets perceived themselves to be in a state of perpetual war with capitalism; 2. The Soviets would use controllable Marxists in the capitalist world as allies; 3. Soviet aggression was not aligned with the views of the Russian people or with economic reality, but with historic Russian xenophobia and paranoia; 4. The Soviet government's structure prevented objective or accurate pictures of internal and external reality. Truman Doctrine, March 1947 Implied American support for other nations allegedly threatened by Soviet communism. Policy: Communism was an expansionist force and it must be contained with in its present boundaries. Not to be spread further. ● Established a basis for American foreign policy that would survive for over 30+ years! "It must be the policy of the United States to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures."- Harry S. Truman First Example: $400 million to bolster the armed forces of Greece and Turkey and to provide economic assistance to Greece. Please Watch: Truman's Speech "A Fateful Hour" (1947) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2MQldviRtE Marshall Plan, 1947 George Marshall, Secretary of State Economic Aid to all European countries, including the Soviet Union Why? 1. Humanitarian concern for European peoples. Poor, homeless, country less. Worse off than US was after the war. 2. Fear that Europe would be a drain on the US economic if not rebuilt. 3. A desire for an European market for American goods. 4. Most important, had to strengthen Western Governments for fear they might fall to the communist system like Russia did. Marshall Plan, 1947 Economic Cooperation Administration ● 16 European Nations ● $12 Billion ● Huge Success Cold War Policies under Truman Atomic Energy Commission, 1946 Selective Service System, 1948 National Security Act of 1947 ● Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ● National Security Council (NSC) North Atlantic Treaty Organization (N.A.T.O.), 1949 Cold War Policies under Truman Atomic Energy Commission, 1946 Hydrogen Bomb Cold War Policies under Truman Selective Service System, 1948 All men 18 years and older had to register with Selective Service. All men between the ages of 19 to 26 were eligible to be drafted for a service requirement of 21 months. This was followed by a commitment for either 12 consecutive months of active service or 36 consecutive months of service in the reserves, with a statutory term of military service set at a minimum of five years total. Cold War Policies under Truman National Security Act of 1947 ● Department of Defence ● Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ○ civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, tasked with gathering, processing, and analyzing national security information from around the world, primarily through the use of human intelligence ● National Security Council (NSC) ○ ○ advise and assist the President on national security and foreign policies. serves as the President's principal arm for coordinating these policies among various government agencies. Gave the president international goals. expanded powers with which to pursue the nation’s Cold War Policies under Truman North Atlantic Treaty Organization (N.A.T.O.), 1949 ● 12 nations ● An armed attack against any one country in the alliance, would be considered an attack against all. ● Established a permanent military force in Europe ● Causes USSR and its satellites to create the Warsaw Pact in 1955
