USA Foreign Policy I
ROLE OF USA IN
WORLD WAR II
Joined
after PEARL HARBOUR
PRESIDENT
WAS ROOSEVELT
Involvement
had HUGE IMPACT on war
Roosevelt
took very active role in foreign policy – held meetings with Churchill and Stalin
USA
played crucial role in D-DAY
PRESIDENT TRUMAN
Became President after death of Roosevelt 1945
Germany surrendered MAY 1945
JAPAN continued to fight
Made crucial decision to use A-Bomb
ALLIES WON WAR
MAJOR TENSIONS
DEVELOP BETWEEN USA AND USSR
WHY
DID USSR DISTRUST USA?
WHY
DID USA DISTRUST USSR?
Led to what was called the COLD WAR
POLICIES ADOPTED
BY USA
TRUMAN became very wary of advancement of Communism in post
WWII years
A good example is what happened in EASTERN EUROPE after the war
Came under Soviet domination
Many countries – new governments that were really controlled from USSR
Resented in the West
Churchill
“Iron
Curtain” speech
USA set out policy which became known as TRUMAN
DOCTRINE
GREEK CIVIL WAR - very good example of developing tensions
Communist led revolt took place there
Britain unable to help Greek government
USA involvement- sent money, supplies, and arms
Truman
Doctrine in action in this example
TRUMAN also began the MARSHALL
PLAN
Began 1947
Massive USA Aid for Europe
Rebuild shattered economies was the GOAL but not only one
Lessen appeal of Communism would be the RESULT
$13 BILLION spent
Deepens
the mistrust between East and West
TRUMAN clearly defined what the USA foreign policy would be
for over 40 years – a policy of CONTAINMENT
CRISIS NUMBER 1
The TRUMAN DOCTRINE and THE
MARSHALL PLAN highlighted the growing tension between the USA and the
USSR
By 1948 – COLD WAR had fully
begun.
Would last for over 40 years
Next major challenge to face Truman
began in city of BERLIN
THE BERLIN BLOCKADE
First real crisis
City of BERLIN divided into ZONES
USA, France and UK controlled WEST
2.1 MILLION people lived there
USSR controlled EAST
New currency and Aid sent to WEST
Stalin wanted to drive Allies out of
city completely
Stalin ordered all road, rail, and
canal links blocked
Food and fuel could run out in 5
weeks
Massive air-lift by USA - lasted 11 months
277,000 flights
West Berlin SURVIVED due to airlift
STALIN forced to back down
Huge boost for prestige of USA
Blockade increased FEAR of USSR in
the west
USA, CANADA and 10 European nations
formed NATO
AN ATTACK ON ONE WAS AN ATTACK ON ALL
This led to huge ARMS build-up in
1950’s
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