The Origins of the Cold War in Europe and the “German Question” The Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan and the Berlin Crisis,

Emergence of American Cold War strategy Domestic backlash against Soviet attempts to press forth their political and strategic interests: - fear of ultimate Soviet intentions. Revelations of wartime Soviet penetration of the “Manhattan Project.” European economic and political weakness: - electoral success of communist parties in Western Europe. European pressure for American involvement: - Churchill’s “the Iron Curtain” speech in Fulton, Missouri, March 5, 1946

Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech Truman disavows Byrnes’s compromise agreements reached at the CFM session Domestic pressure to adopt hard-line approach Backlash over Soviet unilateralism in foreign policy Revelations of Soviet penetration of the “Manhattan Project”

George Kennan, the author of the policy of containment

The Long Telegram, February 22, 1946

Kennan’ Strategy of Containment – Soviet expansionism should be resisted with firmness. – No more negotiations with the Soviet Union other than to register American protests or Soviet concessions. – Concentration on rehabilitation of Europe without rolling back existing Soviet sphere of influence. – Conflict with the Soviet Union is political, not military. – The end goal is to change Soviet conduct of foreign policy to negotiate a lasting agreement.

The Truman Doctrine and Containment Collapse of British influence in the Mediterranean and the Middle East in 1946/1947 American decision to replace the British as the dominant power in the Middle East: - Truman calls for support to Greece and Turkey, March American universal mission to oppose totalitarianism in the name of freedom. Language of universalism vs. practical policy: - Eurocentric American policy - limited political commitment to Western Europe, acknowledgement of Soviet sphere of influence in Eastern Europe. - military demobilization was not reversed; American nuclear monopoly expected to provide sufficient security.

European Recovery Program, i.e. “Marshall Plan” Marshall’s Harvard address on June 5, 1947 outlines proposed program of $20 billion in assistance to European countries for economic recovery: - aid on a number of specific conditions Enthusiastic European response: “Empire by invitation” Soviet vacillation and ultimate rejection of the Marshall Plan - East European states have to follow Soviet lead

George Marshall, Secretary of State,

Soviet Consolidation of Control in Eastern Europe Imposition of Soviet model of political and socio- economic uniformity: - communist parties take control in 1947/1948 Organization of Cominform to coordinate activities of East European communist parties. Doctrine of division of the world between socialist democratic camp and reactionary imperialist camp: - no possibility of neutrality or middle ground Finnish and Yugoslav exceptions: - Soviet-Yugoslav split in 1948

Andrei Zhdanov,

Josep Broz Tito,

Division of Germany and the Berlin Blockade

The “German Question” German reconstruction key to economic recovery and stability in Europe. American abandonment of earlier plans of German dismemberment and economic enfeeblement. Renewed Anglo-American insistence of treating German as a single economic unit. Byrnes’s proposal of 25 year treaty to demilitarize Germany.

Soviet Policy in Germany Discarded earlier plans of dismemberment, but still intend on long-term weakening. Moderate political tactics in the Soviet zone – struggle for German public opinion. Rejection of Byrnes’s plan of German demilitarization. Moscow CFM meeting in March of 1947: agreed to single economic German policy and possible unified election in exchange for reparations.

West German State and the Berlin Blockade, Currency reform in the Western zones of Germany and Berlin, June of Plans for convocation of a constitutional assembly. Imposition of Soviet blockade on Western access to West Berlin to attempt to slow down emergence of the West German state. American Airlift, June 1948-May 1949

Berlin Airlift, June May 1949

Formation of NATO, 1949 Proclamation of the Federal Republic of Germany, May 1949 Treaty of Brussels, 1948: military alliance of Great Britain, France, and Benelux countries over growing fears of war Introduction of American forces and nuclear capabilities to Europe -NSC-30: American reliance on nuclear weapons against Soviet conventional forces Formation of NATO, April of 1949: mutual defense guarantees, integrated military structure