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Truman becomes President
Truman became president after FDR passed away. Truman served as vice-president only a few months before FDR died and during that time he was not included in important policy decisions. For example he did not know about the development of the atomic bomb which made people believe he would not be able to serve as president. Although the people doubted him, he was an honest man that was willing to make tough decisions which he needed to have during his presidency. -
Creation of the United Nations
The creation of the United Nations was made to be a peacekeeping body. This creation was to promote peace, to secure, and to develop a friendly relationship between the United Nations. Although it was created for those reasons, it became another war zone. The significance of this was to promote human rights and to create peace among the states. -
Potsdam Conference
The US, Great Britain, and Soviet Union met for the final wartime conference. The Soviet Union was represented by Stalin, Great Britain by Clement Attlee, and the US by Harry Truman. Stalin promised FDR before he passed that he would allow free elections but Stalin did not keep that promise because of the conference. The Soviet Union did not allow free elections in Poland and they banned the democratic party. -
Establishing Containment as a Policy
George F. Kennan proposed this policy of containment to take measures to prevent any extension of communists ruling other countries. This policy was used to guide Truman administration's foreign policy. Europe was divided into two political regions which were democratic and communist. Churchill has traveled to the US to explain the situation going on in Europe and how Western Europe is democratic and Eastern Europe is communist. -
The Truman Doctrine
Britain’s economy was down because of the war so they could not provide aid. Because of this, they asked the US to take over this responsibility. With that said, Harry Truman took the challenge and asked the Congress for $400 million in economic and military aid for Greece and Turkey. This was to prevent the Soviet Union’s influence from spreading which worked and reduced the danger of communists takeover. -
The Marshall Plan
The Secretary of State George Marshall introduced the idea that the US should provide aid to all of the European countries that needed it. This was made to be against hunger, poverty, chaos, and desperation. This plan helped give Europeans hope and helped revive the countries. In four years, 16 countries in Europe have received 13 billion dollars in aid and it helped flourish Western Europe. This also resulted in the Communist party losing appeal to voters. -
Berlin Airlift
The creation of Berlin Airlift was to attempt to break the blockade and to fly food & supplies into West Berlin. For almost a year, planes flew to W.B around the clock. 277,000 flights later, 2.3 million tons of supplies were brought over including food, gifts, fuel, and medicine. The reason West Berlin survived was because of the airlifts and the aid to Berlin boosted American prestige around the world. And by May of 1949, the SU realized it was done and they lifted the blockade. -
The NATO Alliance
The Berlin blockade had increased the fear of Soviet aggression to Western European countries.Ten of Western European countries joined the US and Canada to form a defensive alliance. This was to pledge support to one another if any member was to be attacked. The US entered with other nations during peacetime and the Cold War ended hope of return to the US isolationism.Eventually the NATO alliance stayed up with more than 500 thousand troops along with thousands of tanks, planes, etc.
