The Cold War: Spheres of influence

Economic spheres of influence

USA: Containment

• Policy adopted by USA

• To protect western Europe from communist threat

• Policy of containment: to “contain” the spread of communism

USA’s containment

POLICY OF CONTAINMENT

Truman Doctrine

Marshall Plan

Truman Doctrine

• Announced in 1947 by president Truman

• Reaction to events in Greece and Turkey

• USA would send money, military equipment and advice to any country threatened by communist takeover

• the basis of American foreign policy aimed at stopping the spread of communism

Marshall Plan• American economic aid to

Europe to rebuild war-damaged economies

• To destroy conditions under which the appeal of communism would spread

• 1948-1952: $17 billion in Marshall aid

• Recipients: France, Germany, Britain, etc.

Dollar Diplomacy• Conditions to Marshall aid:

only countries with capitalist economies were eligible and they had to be willing to import American goods

• Viewed by Stalin with suspicion – did not allow satellites to accept it

• USSR saw it as dollar diplomacy

• Increased divisions between east and west and tensions between superpowers

USSR: control

• Stalin did not allow satellites to accept Marshall aid

• Set up his own post-war systems and organisations

Cominform• Communist Information

Bureau • Introduced in 1947 in

reaction to Truman Doctrine• to co-ordinate communist

parties in Eastern Europe (control over satellites)

• Independent-minded leaders replaced by those loyal to Stalin

• Communist parties in France and Italy also members

Comecon• Council for Mutual

Economic Aid• Formed in 1949• USSR dominated• Communist

countries outside Europe also included (Cuba, Vietnam)