Republicans come to power on demobilization, business as usual, a cutback in the role of spending,...
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Truman Foreign Policy – Part II Republicans come to power on demobilization, business as usual, a cutback in the role of spending, and lower taxes Hamstrings Truman’s ability to fight the cold war US has only 1.3 divisions to deal with the 260 divisions of the Soviet Union
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Transcript of Republicans come to power on demobilization, business as usual, a cutback in the role of spending,...
Truman Foreign Policy – Part II
Republicans come to power on demobilization, business as usual, a cutback in the role of spending, and lower taxes
Hamstrings Truman’s ability to fight the cold war
US has only 1.3 divisions to deal with the 260 divisions of the Soviet Union
1946 – Dealing with the Soviet Union
US believed that Communism thrived on chaos and poverty, the way to respond to it was to promote stability and prosperity through economic aid
3 Possibilities to deal with it1. build up military2. Send military aid to threatened
countries3. Give economic aid to needy peoples
Feb. 1947, Greece and Turkey
Great Britain pulls aid from Greece and Turkey with the communist in Greece preparing to take over
Undersecretary of State Acheson argues that if they fall a “domino” effect will incur and in Europe. First articulation of “domino theory”
Leads to the Truman Doctrine
Truman Doctrine
“I believe that it must be the policy of the US to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.”
Sent $400 million for Greece and Turkey For the first time the US had chosen to
intervene during a period of general peace in the affairs of peoples outside North and South America
Marshall Plan
Truman Doctrine leads to Marshall Plan A massive American aid program to
Europe Wanted to revive the European economy
for both economic (buy US exports) and military reasons
Only a healthy economy would support European troops necessary to stop the Red Army
Economic for Western Europe and military for Greece and Turkey
More in 1947
In Greece, guerilla warfare rage on Chiang was being pushed back in China Anti-communist in Hungary were
destroyed and the election was rigged for the left wing party
The draft was stopped in the US
National Security Act – July, 1947
Provided a single Department of Defense National Security Council CIA – to gather information and evaluate
intelligence activities around the world
1948 – Communist Coup in Czechoslovakia
Soviets flew to Prague and forced President Benes to resign and the foreign minister was assassinated. Communist assumed control.
Coup did two things for the adoption of the containment policy
1. Sent a shockwave throughout the civilized world
2. Showed limitations of current American policy because they did nothing to stop it
3. Got the Marshal Plan passed
Expansion of the CIA – June 1948
They would now do covert operations for economic and military warfare and paramilitary activities
Communist were gaining strength in the upcoming Italian elections. The CIA funneled money to the Christian Democrats and they defeated the Communists.
This was cheap and kept the communist out of control of Italy.
The CIA was off and running with covert activities
Election of 1948
Harry Truman – Democrats
Thomas Dewey-Republican
Strom ThurmondDixiecrat or state-rightsDemocrats
