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American aggression- Dollar Diplomacy
Increasing Soviet conviction that the US was unwilling to collaborate in postwar Soviet economic reconstruction as the US was unwilling to lend them money and also terminated the Land-Lease in May 1945. Soviet boycotted the IMF and World Bank. Marked economic schism. US also dropped trade barriers in Eastern Europe and compensation for US assets seized in Romania and Bulgaria. Showed US aggression. -
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Yalta Conference
Stalin signed the Declaration of Liberated Europe without the intention to abide by it and he promised free elections but did not abide by it. Roosevelt tacit agreement at the conference gave Stalin the impression that he was given leeway to build his sphere of influence in Poland and Eastern Europe. -
Soviet Actions in Manchuria
Soviet recognised KMT as legitimate government but handed Japanese weapons to CCP and allowed them to establosh foothold in Manchuria and Northern China. In September 1945, 50000 US Marines were sent to North China to secure key communication areas and help transport KMT armies to the area. Though Soviets did not show overt aggression, still showed them as responsible for the Cold War. Covert act of expansionism had severe implications on the trust levels between US and USSR. -
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Soviet Aggression in Iran
Soviet troops stationed in Iran to stop seizure of Persian Oilfields by the Axis powers during WW2. Soviet troops remained in Iran and encouraged separatist movements after war. Hence their involvement constituted aggression as the US saw this as an attempt by Stalin to create his sphere of influence on USSR Southern perimeter. -
Truman Doctrine
Harry S. Truman requested a bill to provide aid to Greece and Turkey to prevent them from falling into the Soviet sphere as Britain could no longer afford to provide assistance to Greece. To Stalin, this was evidence of US imperialism, a view reinforced by the launching of the Marshall Plan, hence the Truman Doctrine laid the basic for the formation of the Marshall Plan. -
Marshall Plan
Before Congress voted on the legislation for the Marshall Plan in February 1948, the communists seized power in Czechoslovakia. This proved to be a catalytic effect on the implementation of the Marshall Plan. The Senate approved the Plan in March 1948 by a vote of 69-17 while the House of Representatives approved it by 318-75. The Marshall Plan cemented the economic schism in Europe. -
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Berlin Blockade
US, British and French proceded in June 1948 to establish the Deutsche Mark even though it was met with Soviet resistance. Stalin interpreted the creation of a single currency as a signal for the establishment of the new Germany in the West. In June 1948, Russia blocked the roads and rail routes to Berlin, leading to the start of the Berlin Blockade.
