1. The Truman Doctrine and the
Marshall Plan
“Carry the battle to them.
Don't let them bring it to
you. Put them on the
defensive and don't ever
apologize for anything.”

2. George C. Marshall
Secretary of State 1947-49
Secretary of Defense 1950-51
●
"Our policy is directed not
against any country or doctrine,
but against hunger, poverty,
desperation and chaos. Its
purpose should be the revival of a
working economy in the world so
as to permit the emergence of
political and social conditions in
which free institutions can exist."

3. Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech
- Churchill outlined the ideological division in Europe by calling
it an “Iron Curtain”
- The Iron Curtain is a
principal feature of
the Cold War
It is both a metaphor for
the division and a literal
description of what Stalin
did in Berlin

5. The Truman Doctrine
- Greece remained unstable since WWII with a very active communist
party
- USA was concerned about possibility of Greece “falling” to communism
- How can you prevent this? = $$$
- NOTE: When you have money in your pocket and food on the table,
you’re not interested in totalitarian communism
- President Truman asked Congress for money to prevent this
- This policy to support European countries to prevent the spread of
communism became known as the Truman Doctrine
- USA gave $400 million in economic and military aid to Greece – this is
the Truman Doctrine in action

6. - The Truman Doctrine was the
American political response to
the perceived threat of
communist Expansion in Europe
- America’s line in the sand,
telling the Soviets they could go
no further
- in other words, CONTAINMENT
- The policy of containment
would guide US responses to the
USSR throughout the Cold War

7. The Marshall Plan – June 1947
- By 1947 it was clear that the loans which USA and Canada
had made to Western Europe were insufficient
- American Secretary of State, George Marshall, proposed the
USA should give aid to Europe in order that they:
–Rebuild economies
–Balance budgets
–Reduce inflation
–Stabilize currencies
–Become free of the need for aid

8. - The OEEC (Organization for European Economic Cooperation)
was created to administer the plan
- $28 Billion (mostly from the US) was given to 16 countries
- The plan was a success:
–many countries experienced rapid economic recovery
–Communism did not expand in Europe after 1948
●
However, Europe was now firmly divided, both politically and
economically

9. Conclusion
●
The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan were two policies
designed to address the possibility of communist expansion in
Europe
●
The Truman Doctrine was the political expression, the
Marshall Plan was the economic implementation
●
These two initiatives were the Americans' response to the
Soviets' imposing communist governments in the countries of
Eastern Europe
●
The actions of both the Soviets and the Americans served to
divide Europe politically and economically

10. Conclusion
●
The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan were two policies
designed to address the possibility of communist expansion in
Europe
●
The Truman Doctrine was the political expression, the
Marshall Plan was the economic implementation
●
These two initiatives were the Americans' response to the
Soviets' imposing communist governments in the countries of
Eastern Europe
●
The actions of both the Soviets and the Americans served to
divide Europe politically and economically