Cold War Tensions and Marshall Plan

Post-WWII Tensions

• The end of WWII led to a surge in tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union
• The two superpowers had differing ideologies: capitalism (US) vs. communism (USSR)
• The Yalta Conference (1945) and Potsdam Conference (1945) revealed growing divisions between the US and USSR
• The Soviet Union's refusal to hold free elections in Eastern Europe and the US's response with the Truman Doctrine escalated tensions

Marshall Plan

• Proposed by US Secretary of State George Marshall in 1947
• Aims to rebuild war-torn Europe and prevent the spread of communism
• Provided economic aid (approximately $13 billion) to 16 Western European countries
• Successfully stabilized the European economy and contained the spread of communism

NATO's Formation

• Established on April 4, 1949, in response to Soviet aggression
• A military alliance of 12 Western countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and European nations
• Collective defense treaty: an attack on one member is considered an attack on all
• Deterrent to Soviet expansion and a symbol of Western unity

Soviet Union's Expansion

• Soviet Union's sphere of influence expanded in Eastern Europe post-WWII
• Established communist governments in Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany
• Blockade of West Berlin (1948-1949) and the subsequent Berlin Airlift
• Soviet Union's nuclear bomb test (1949) heightened tensions and sparked an arms race

Truman Doctrine

• President Harry S. Truman's address to Congress on March 12, 1947
• Policy of providing economic and military aid to countries threatened by communism
• Initial focus on Greece and Turkey, later expanded to other countries
• Marked the beginning of the US's policy of containment against Soviet expansion

Post-WWII Tensions

• The end of WWII led to a surge in tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union due to their differing ideologies: capitalism vs. communism.
• The Yalta Conference (1945) and Potsdam Conference (1945) revealed growing divisions between the US and USSR.
• The Soviet Union's refusal to hold free elections in Eastern Europe and the US's response with the Truman Doctrine escalated tensions.

Marshall Plan

• Proposed by US Secretary of State George Marshall in 1947 to rebuild war-torn Europe and prevent the spread of communism.
• The plan provided approximately $13 billion in economic aid to 16 Western European countries.
• The Marshall Plan successfully stabilized the European economy and contained the spread of communism.

NATO's Formation

• Established on April 4, 1949, in response to Soviet aggression, NATO is a military alliance of 12 Western countries.
• The collective defense treaty states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
• NATO served as a deterrent to Soviet expansion and a symbol of Western unity.

Soviet Union's Expansion

• The Soviet Union's sphere of influence expanded in Eastern Europe post-WWII, establishing communist governments in Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany.
• The Soviet Union's blockade of West Berlin (1948-1949) led to the Berlin Airlift.
• The Soviet Union's nuclear bomb test (1949) heightened tensions and sparked an arms race.

Truman Doctrine

• President Harry S. Truman's address to Congress on March 12, 1947, introduced the policy of providing economic and military aid to countries threatened by communism.
• The doctrine initially focused on Greece and Turkey, later expanding to other countries.
• The Truman Doctrine marked the beginning of the US's policy of containment against Soviet expansion.

Post-WWII Era and NATO's Founding

• Europe was devastated after WWII, and the Soviet Union was expanding its influence.
• Western European countries sought security guarantees against potential Soviet aggression.
• The United States was committed to European reconstruction and stability, leading to a collective defense alliance.

The Brussels Treaty (1948)

• Signed on March 17, 1948, by five Western European countries: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
• Created the Western Union (WU), a collective defense alliance.
• Introduced the concept of collective defense: an attack on one member is an attack on all.

The North Atlantic Treaty (1949)

• Signed on April 4, 1949, in Washington, D.C.
• Established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
• Original members: 12 countries, including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• Article 5: collective defense commitment, where an attack on one member in Europe or North America is considered an attack on all.

NATO's Key Features

• Collective defense commitment: an attack on one member is an attack on all.
• Deterrence: preventing war by making aggression too costly.
• Burden sharing: members contribute to the alliance's military capabilities.
• Cooperation: NATO fosters cooperation on defense and security issues among member states.