LEARNING OBJECTIVE: TO UNDERSTAND THE KEY
FEATURES OF THE TRUMAN DOCTRINE AND THE
MARSHALL PLAN
LEARNING OUTCOME: TO
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
MARSHALL
PLAN
BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN
TRUMAN
DOCTRINE AND
Draw an image in the back
of your book to
summarise American,
British and Western
feeling towards Stalin’s
‘salami tactics’ in Eastern
Europe.
 What are their
feelings?
 What are their fears
and reactions to the
spread of Communism in
Eastern Europe?
“America will have to
take responsibility
for world
collaboration or we
shall have to bear the
responsibility for
another world war.”
Stalin took over Eastern
Europe setting up Communist
governments. The west had
agreed that the area should be
friendly to the USSR, but
Stalin’s actions were seen to
have gone too far.
 Stalin claimed he was only
making himself secure- to the
Americans it looked
suspiciously like he was trying
to spread Communism.

To the USA, it looked like
Greece and Czechoslovakia
were next on Stalin’s list of
conquest. But, they
questioned, who knows
where he would stop then?
Events in Greece would be
very important!



Greece had been occupied by
Germany during WW2, when
they were defeated Greece
was torn between the monarchists
and the Communists. They were
supported by the USSR.
Britain (in 1945) sent troops to defend Greece
against the Communists, but in 1947, they announced
they could not afford to keep fighting, they would
withdraw their troops.
Truman stepped in. the Americans would pay to keep
the British troops there to prevent a Communist take
over! It triggered a new American policy.
What do you think Truman
is saying?
What is the Truman
doctrine?
‘I believe that it must be
the policy of the United
States to support free
peoples who are resisting
attempted subjugation by
armed minorities or by
outside pressures… the
free peoples of the world
look to us for support in
maintaining those
freedoms. If we falter in
our leadership, we may
endanger the peace of the
world.’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUd2
W6aMng4
The USA would give money,
equipment and advice to any
country, who America
thought, were under threat
from a communist takeover.
Truman knew he could do
nothing about Eastern
Europe. His aim was to stop
Communism from spreading
any further.
They called this
containment.


Truman Doctrine= stop
Communism from spreading
further
Marshall Plan= Give money
to persuade people to be
Capitalist (putting Truman
doctrine into practise)
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=Xyoviiavusk
No more
Communism
• Truman recognised that when
people faced poverty and
hardship, they were more likely
to be susceptible to Communism
• General George Marshall
assessed Europe and concluded
that Europe was in a dire state,
with ruined economies on the
verge of collapse, a breeding
ground for Communism.
• They owed 11.5 billion to the
USA, faced food and fuel
shortages, rations. Churchill
called it a ‘rubble heap and
breading ground for hate.’
America would give 17 billion to the European
countries to help them recover- this was
Marshall Aid/Plan
 Marshall said ‘our policy is directed against
hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos.’

 How
would
Stalin
feel
about
Marshall
Aid and
the
Truman
Doctrine?

What is the message of this cartoon? (7)




At first the US government
were reluctant about giving so
much money, but they quickly
changed their mind.
Czechoslovakia- ruled by a
coalition which included
Communists, had started to try
and become more independent of
the USSR
In March 1948, the Communists
came down hard on the Czechs
and any Anti-Soviet leaders
were killed.
It seemed worse when a pro
American, Jan Masaryk was
found dead below his open
window!






Stalin treated Marshall Aid with
suspicion
He refused to have anything to do
with it
He forbid any of the Eastern
European states to have any of the
aid
He thought it was anti-Communist
and would weaken his control over
Eastern Europe.
He saw it as America trying to
spread Capitalism and their
influence by making everyone
dependent on their money.
Instead he set up his own form of
aid COMECON and developed
COMINFORM to regulate the
Communist states
Design a poster advertising
the Truman Doctrine and the
Marshall Plan to the countries
of Europe.
What are the benefits?
Why is this such a good
thing?
What are the benefits to the
USA?

http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/lessons/coldwar/col
dwar_truman.html
Print out the diagram and make sure that it is stuck
into your exercise book by next lesson.
 You must learn all the key facts for a test!!!
 FIND out about COMECON and COMINFORM


COMPLETE POSTER