CONTAINMENT21.2 The Early Cold War Years

THE LONG TELEGRAM 5,540 word cable message (that’s long!)

explaining diplomat George Kennans’ views of the Soviet goals.

Russian “insecurity”Fear of the WestHistorical struggle with capitalism.

Goal should be to keep the Soviets from expanding.Containment: Keeping communism within

its present territory through the use of diplomatic, economic, and military actions.

CRISIS IN IRAN

Soviets occupied northern Iran

U.S. had put troops in southern Iran.

Soviets wanted a supply line from the Persian Gulf.

Remained in northern Iran and then started demanding access to Iran’s oil supplies.Soviet troops helped local Communists establish a separate government

Were the Soviets trying to push into the Middle East?

CRISIS IN IRAN U.S. battleship Missouri sailed into the

eastern Mediterranean.Pressure seemed to work and the Soviet

forces withdrew!

TRUMAN DOCTRINE Stalin turned to Turkey to control the

Dardanelles (a vital route from the Black Sea to Mediterranean).

Stalin demanded joint control of the Dardanelles with TurkeyPresidential Advisor, Dean Acheson, saw this as a step to control the Middle East.

Advised Truman to make a show of FORCE

TRUMAN DOCTRINE, CONT’D. New aircraft carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt

to join the Missouri in protecting Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean.

U.S Turkey. Britain Greece. Greek Communists launched a guerrilla war against the British government. British fought for about 6 months but then could not longer afford to help Greece.

TRUMAN DOCTRINE, CONT’D. In 1947 Truman went before Congress to

ask for $400 million to fight Communist aggression in Greece and Turkey.

“To aid free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.”

Effects:Stabilize the Greek government.

Ease Soviet demands in Turkey

THE MARSHALL PLAN Western European countries in serious

financial crisis. George Marshall – U.S. Secretary of

State.European Recovery Program, or Marshall

Plan. American aid to rebuild their economies. Offered to all nations planning a recovery

program.Soviets and countries in Eastern Europe

rejected the offer.

THE BERLIN CRISIS President Truman and his advisors

believed that Western Europe’s recovery depended on Germany’s recovery.

Soviets still wanted Germany to pay reparations to the Soviet Union.

WEST GERMANY IS FOUNDED 1948 the U.S. Great Britain, and France

announced that they were merging their zones in Germany and allowing the Germans to have their own government.

They also planned to merge their zones in Berlin (which would become part of the new German republic).

Federal Republic of GermanyWas called West Germany.

Soviet Zone became known as East Germany.

BERLIN AIRLIFT By late 1948 the Soviets knew they

were never get the reparations they wanted.

Soviets cut off all road and rail traffic to West Berlin.Blockade

U.S. sent long-range bombers with atomic weapons to bases in Great Britain.

BERLIN AIRLIFT, CONT’D. June 1948 – President Truman ordered

the Berlin Airlift to begin.Lasted 11 months.Cargo planes supplied Berliners with food,

medicine, and coal. Stalin finally lifted the blockade on May

12. Became a symbol of American

determination to stand by the divided city.

NATO Military Alliance with Western Europe. April 1949 North Atlantic Treaty

Organization was formed – A mutual defense alliance.

DenmarkPortugalNetherlandsNorwayLuxembourgIceland

U.S.CanadaBritainFranceItalyBelgium

NATO, CONT’D. Any member agreed to come to the aid

of any member who was attacked. 6 years later the U.S. and its allies

agreed to allow West Germany to rearm and join NATO.

How do you the Soviets are going to respond to this?

THE RESPONSE…. Soviets organized a military alliance in

Eastern Europe which became known as the

Warsaw Pact.