Explain two consequences of the Truman doctrine on relations between superpowers:
one major consequence of the Truman doctrine (on the relationship between superpowers) was that it
completely changed US involvement in European politics, this is seen through the establishment of the
Marshall plan in June 1947 (mere months after the doctrine) which enforced the new foreign policy of
containment by providing financial aid to European countries in order to help rebuild their economies to
ensure they had the means to resist communist regimes. This is significant as previously America had
followed the foreign policy of isolationism, as seen during WW1 (this then changed as a result of the
growing threat of communism). $17 billion of Marshall aid was given to 16 countries by 1953, including the
initially test case of Greece in which Marshall aid helped to end their civil war. This therefore shows how
the Truman doctrine had an impact on relations between superpowers as this was the first physical act of
opposition between the USA and the USSR as Stalin banned all satellite states from accepting Marshall aid
(labeling it a ‘capitalist bribe’). This therefore exacerbated the destruction of any previous alliance
established at the conferences during WW2.
Another significant consequence of the Truman doctrine on the US-soviet relations was that it made Stalin
feel threatened enough to establish Cominform in September 1947. This was an alliance of east European
communist countries set up in order to give Stalin political control over the satellite states (differing to the
previous mere politically aligned alliance shared between communist countries), parties that were in place
prior to this were purged and replaced by Cominform. Cominform served more as a tool of Soviet policy
than as an agent of international revolution. This had a negative impact on relations as it confirmed
America’s belief that Stalin was preparing foe something that could cause the outbreak of war as seen in
the long telegram (1946). Furthermore, the fact that Stalin felt the need to create an official alliance as a
result of the Truman doctrine months after it was published proves how firmly against each other the twos
sides were. Had Truman not initiated the policy of containment within the doctrine Stalin would not have
felt the need to retaliate and tighten his control to prove that the soviets would not bend to the will of
capitalists at the first sign of danger.
,Explain the importance of soviet expansion on the development of the cold war:
soviet expansion was critical in the development of the cold war as it led to the USA becoming more
involved in European politics. This is evident through the issuing of the Truman doctrine in march 194&
(during the period of the forced expansion of communism in eastern European countries) which outlined
America’s policy of containment as a counter-plan to the soviet expansion, which is significant as previously
the USA had followed the foreign policy of isolationism, as seen during WW1 (this then changed as a result
of the growing threat of communism) – their success in the initial test case of Greece only helped to further
their confidence in the plan and in turn increase motivation to prevent any more countries falling to
communism. This therefore shows how soviet expansion exacerbated the development of the cold war as
Truman’s speech marked the first major sign of reciprocated hostility between the USA and USSR thus
breaking the previously fragile alliance between the two countries that was established at the conferences
of WW2.
Another way in which soviet expansion was important foe the development of the cold war was that it
heavily contributed to the straining of relations between the superpowers. For example, it had previously
been agreed at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences of 1945 that east Europe was to have free elections –
Stalin completely disregarded this promise in his actions towards countries such as Poland (which
specifically had be discussed during the Yalta conference) by forcing countries to accept communist regime
through the use of rigged elections, military force and manipulation of economic dependency. As a result of
this, Stalin could now be justifiable views as both untrustworthy and a threat by the USA as it was unknown
whether or not this was the only promise the USSR planned on breaking. This therefore proves the
importance of the soviet expansion in the development of the cold war as it confirmed the fears of the
west, increasing tensions and giving them means to take action against communism.
, Two consequences of the berlin blockade:
One major consequence of the berlin blockade was the aggravation of the arms race during the early/mid
1950’s. after the termination of the blockade in may 1949, both the east and the west realized how cold
they had come to physical war as Stalin has the opportunity to shoot down American planes during the
airlift from June 1948 to may 1949. this led to the USA and the USSR stockpiling weaponry as a
precautionary measure (the USA especially after the soviets developed their own atomic bomb in august
1949, removing America’s previously secure leading position in that aspect) including the development of
the H-bomb on both sides by 1953. this clearly shows how the arms race was a consequence of the
blockade as the blockade itself confirmed that both parties were willing to take military action against the
other (even if no weaponry/fatalities were involved)leading to the establishment of defensive alliances such
as NATO and the Warsaw pact mere months after its end . The formation of each respective alliance was
viewed as a threat by their opposing side which gave each the justification to build their artilleries as a
response to the impeding threat of hot war – which subsequently led to the development of the theory of
mutually assured destruction (MAD) as each country tried to stay ahead of the other, thus accelerating the
arms race even further.
Another substantial consequence of the berlin blockade was that the rivalry between the superpowers was
heavily intensified. This can clearly be seen through the USA’s direct response of the airlift to Stalin’s
attempt at blocking the western forces from entering/ aiding west berlin from June 1948 – may 1949. the
Americans successfully delivered essential supplies such as food and clothes to the citizens of west berlin in
order to show their commitment to the city as well as to prove their unwillingness to relinquish control to
the USSR all while making themselves (and therefore capitalism) look superior to the soviets. The USA even
went as far as to drop chocolates during the airlift in an attempt to taunt the soviets. This indisputably
shows how the berlin blockade exacerbated rivalries between the USSR and USA as the success of the airlift
compared to the failure of the blockade made the USSR look weak and desperate in contrast to the USA.
This would have angered Stalin and increased his hatred for the west as well as his desire to rid the world
(or more specifically Europe) of capitalism, while the blockade itself would have angered Truman and
elevated his hatred of the USSR and Stalin. This is evident through the official division of Germany just a few
months later in September and October of 1949 (west = the federal republic of Germany – east = the
German democratic republic) with the geographical division reflecting the deepening divide between the
countries.
one major consequence of the Truman doctrine (on the relationship between superpowers) was that it
completely changed US involvement in European politics, this is seen through the establishment of the
Marshall plan in June 1947 (mere months after the doctrine) which enforced the new foreign policy of
containment by providing financial aid to European countries in order to help rebuild their economies to
ensure they had the means to resist communist regimes. This is significant as previously America had
followed the foreign policy of isolationism, as seen during WW1 (this then changed as a result of the
growing threat of communism). $17 billion of Marshall aid was given to 16 countries by 1953, including the
initially test case of Greece in which Marshall aid helped to end their civil war. This therefore shows how
the Truman doctrine had an impact on relations between superpowers as this was the first physical act of
opposition between the USA and the USSR as Stalin banned all satellite states from accepting Marshall aid
(labeling it a ‘capitalist bribe’). This therefore exacerbated the destruction of any previous alliance
established at the conferences during WW2.
Another significant consequence of the Truman doctrine on the US-soviet relations was that it made Stalin
feel threatened enough to establish Cominform in September 1947. This was an alliance of east European
communist countries set up in order to give Stalin political control over the satellite states (differing to the
previous mere politically aligned alliance shared between communist countries), parties that were in place
prior to this were purged and replaced by Cominform. Cominform served more as a tool of Soviet policy
than as an agent of international revolution. This had a negative impact on relations as it confirmed
America’s belief that Stalin was preparing foe something that could cause the outbreak of war as seen in
the long telegram (1946). Furthermore, the fact that Stalin felt the need to create an official alliance as a
result of the Truman doctrine months after it was published proves how firmly against each other the twos
sides were. Had Truman not initiated the policy of containment within the doctrine Stalin would not have
felt the need to retaliate and tighten his control to prove that the soviets would not bend to the will of
capitalists at the first sign of danger.
,Explain the importance of soviet expansion on the development of the cold war:
soviet expansion was critical in the development of the cold war as it led to the USA becoming more
involved in European politics. This is evident through the issuing of the Truman doctrine in march 194&
(during the period of the forced expansion of communism in eastern European countries) which outlined
America’s policy of containment as a counter-plan to the soviet expansion, which is significant as previously
the USA had followed the foreign policy of isolationism, as seen during WW1 (this then changed as a result
of the growing threat of communism) – their success in the initial test case of Greece only helped to further
their confidence in the plan and in turn increase motivation to prevent any more countries falling to
communism. This therefore shows how soviet expansion exacerbated the development of the cold war as
Truman’s speech marked the first major sign of reciprocated hostility between the USA and USSR thus
breaking the previously fragile alliance between the two countries that was established at the conferences
of WW2.
Another way in which soviet expansion was important foe the development of the cold war was that it
heavily contributed to the straining of relations between the superpowers. For example, it had previously
been agreed at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences of 1945 that east Europe was to have free elections –
Stalin completely disregarded this promise in his actions towards countries such as Poland (which
specifically had be discussed during the Yalta conference) by forcing countries to accept communist regime
through the use of rigged elections, military force and manipulation of economic dependency. As a result of
this, Stalin could now be justifiable views as both untrustworthy and a threat by the USA as it was unknown
whether or not this was the only promise the USSR planned on breaking. This therefore proves the
importance of the soviet expansion in the development of the cold war as it confirmed the fears of the
west, increasing tensions and giving them means to take action against communism.
, Two consequences of the berlin blockade:
One major consequence of the berlin blockade was the aggravation of the arms race during the early/mid
1950’s. after the termination of the blockade in may 1949, both the east and the west realized how cold
they had come to physical war as Stalin has the opportunity to shoot down American planes during the
airlift from June 1948 to may 1949. this led to the USA and the USSR stockpiling weaponry as a
precautionary measure (the USA especially after the soviets developed their own atomic bomb in august
1949, removing America’s previously secure leading position in that aspect) including the development of
the H-bomb on both sides by 1953. this clearly shows how the arms race was a consequence of the
blockade as the blockade itself confirmed that both parties were willing to take military action against the
other (even if no weaponry/fatalities were involved)leading to the establishment of defensive alliances such
as NATO and the Warsaw pact mere months after its end . The formation of each respective alliance was
viewed as a threat by their opposing side which gave each the justification to build their artilleries as a
response to the impeding threat of hot war – which subsequently led to the development of the theory of
mutually assured destruction (MAD) as each country tried to stay ahead of the other, thus accelerating the
arms race even further.
Another substantial consequence of the berlin blockade was that the rivalry between the superpowers was
heavily intensified. This can clearly be seen through the USA’s direct response of the airlift to Stalin’s
attempt at blocking the western forces from entering/ aiding west berlin from June 1948 – may 1949. the
Americans successfully delivered essential supplies such as food and clothes to the citizens of west berlin in
order to show their commitment to the city as well as to prove their unwillingness to relinquish control to
the USSR all while making themselves (and therefore capitalism) look superior to the soviets. The USA even
went as far as to drop chocolates during the airlift in an attempt to taunt the soviets. This indisputably
shows how the berlin blockade exacerbated rivalries between the USSR and USA as the success of the airlift
compared to the failure of the blockade made the USSR look weak and desperate in contrast to the USA.
This would have angered Stalin and increased his hatred for the west as well as his desire to rid the world
(or more specifically Europe) of capitalism, while the blockade itself would have angered Truman and
elevated his hatred of the USSR and Stalin. This is evident through the official division of Germany just a few
months later in September and October of 1949 (west = the federal republic of Germany – east = the
German democratic republic) with the geographical division reflecting the deepening divide between the
countries.
