Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Examine the impact of the US policy of containment on superpower relations…
Examine the impact of the US policy of containment on superpower relations between 1947 and 1964.
THESIS
The policy of containment impacted the relations between US and USSR in such a way that it further strained them. This is due to the way in which foreign aid and assistance was used in the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan to essentially coerce countries into not falling for communism. The USSR found this offensive and therefore relations were continued to be strained.
Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan
The Truman doctrine 1947 was a foreign policy measure which pledged to support other countries in their struggle to resit communism
Containment was the US policy to prevent the spread of communism abroad
During the greek civil war, which had started in 1946 but was still ongoing by 1947, communisms were fighting against the British backed government
Truman feared that if communists were victorious - a domino effect would proceed whereby other countries would fall into communist spheres of influence
With communism expanding in Asia by 1949 - Mao Zedong victorious, the Truman doctrine became foundation of American policy and led to the the formation of NATO, military alliance
The US would finically aid and support economies and militaries of freeze, although not directly militarily involved
Policy of containment was positive for US but further strained relations between US and USSR - as ideological tensions became prominent - It was attacked as dollar imperialism by the soviets - who believed it was simply a measure to disseminate capitalist spheres of influence over Europe
HISTORIOGRAPHY
Walter Lippmann
Criticises the Truman Doctrine as a global policy
Argues that "Truman and containment led the USA into unimportant, undesirable and unaffordable commitments all over the globe"
Berlin Blockade/Airlift
The iron curtain had officially descended by 1949
In 1948 - As a result of the failure of the London conference, disagreements over germany reached a pinnacle
The western allies had begun to build up west Germany, as they feared a united German would lead to communism in the country
They set up new currency in 1948 - the deutschenmark - which stalin believed undermined the reichsmark and as a result blockaded western berlin in 1948 - cutting off road and rail links which western Germany had been heavily reliant on
Movement of people and goods was blocked
The US instead of uniting Germany insisted and instead carried out airlift
to Stalins reluctancy, made it obligatory for him to form east Germany, something he had hoped to avoid as he wanted a united Germany
Stalin realised his attempt had failed, and after the set up of 2 distinct German areas, east and west, hostilities were amplified
Bay of Pigs
Another example was the bay of pigs invasion of 1961 - where as a result of Castro (anti american/communist revolutionary leader) overthrew Batista, and strained relations with US began - America wanted to overthrow him
In 1961 - CIA backed by America invaded Cuba in an attempt to overthrow castro, meanwhile relations between Cuba and USSR were positive - and USSR backed sugar exports
This attempt was a failure, but pushed Stalin to place missiles
US vs USSR began directly confronted at the brink of nuclear war when the USSR placed missiles
In the end it was fixed, but relations were hostile throughout