The Cold War

The Marshall Plan & The Berlin Airlift

The Marshall Plan Created to help rebuild Europe, it was a

program of economic recovery financed

by the USA

Why was it needed?

Europe was virtually destroyed & needed outside assistance

American policymakers determined not to repeat WWI mistakes

U.S would help restore the war-torn nations so they could create stable democracies & economies

Europe received nearly $13 billion

Initially started with shipments of food, staples, fuel and machinery from the United States.

Later came investments in industrial capacities.

1. Stop the growth of Communist parties in Western Europe

2. Create Capitalist markets in Western Europe to sell American goods

Marshall Plan Video

The Marshall Plan: 2 Objectives

Result = Economies were rebuilt quickly; USA gained allies & strong trading partners in Europe

The Berlin Airlift

City of Berlin is divided & an island in Communist East Germany

Stalin blocked allied access to West Berlin in June 1948

All shipments of food & supplies to West Berlin were banned

Truman needed to keep West Berlin free & avoid a military conflict & open transportation

Political Cartoon

-from 1948

Allies (-Soviet Russia) airlifted supplies into West Berlin for 15 months

By May 1949 Stalin gave up & ended the blockade

The Berlin Airlift