What were the reasons and results for the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan?

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What were the reasons and results for the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan?

        By the time the Second World War had come to its tumultuous end, tensions had already begin to rise between former allies. While the War which had once held Europe at the brink of destruction was finally over, a new threat loomed overhead. The polarization of the Capitalist powers, including the United States and her ally Great Britain and the Communist states of Soviet Russia and her allies further darkened any hopes of a peaceful future. As both powers scrambled to exert their power, it became clear that valuable allies were necessary as a means of deterrence and support in case war were to break out. The United States aimed to spread its influence and ideologies for this very reason. As the threat of war continued to increase, drastic measures needed to be undertaken. To begin, this essay will critically examine the reasons for which the United States instituted the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, and the results which they had on the countries affected by them.

        Two years after the Second World War, countries were reeling under its economic repercussions. Britain was one of the most affected with its government owing over three billion pounds in debt. Overcome by this, the British government could not maintain its troops and aid in Greece, which was at that time undergoing a civil war in which the Monarchists, who were receiving British aid, were in conflict with the Communists. The United States viewed a communist takeover of Greece as absolutely disastrous; if such were to occur, a valuable ally which could prove vital due to its strategic position if were to break out, would be lost. Seeing this, Truman who was the President of the United States at that time issued the Truman Doctrine. Issued in 1947, this doctrine stated that the US would aid any country or government which was under attack by armed minorities or outside pressures. Doing so, Truman helped to prevent the spread of Communist takeovers, which by then were occurring frequently. Furthermore, this allowed for the United States to intervene in Greece, sending military and financial aid to the monarchists. According to Truman, communism and democracy couldn’t exist together, and through the Truman Doctrine, the United States could help countries oust communism and institute democracy if there was a direct conflict between the two. However, there is much debate as to the underlying reasons for said Doctrine. As per the Orthodox view, Truman had no choice but to resort to the Truman Doctrine due to the underlying rifts in Soviet- American relations due to the aggressive Soviet aggression. Already, many Slavic and Baltic states had come under the grasp of Soviet expansionism, and the Orthodox View points out that there was no other way for the United States to abate the proliferation of communism. However, the Revisionist School of thought maintains that it was due to the aggressive American demand for U.S- friendly markets led to the enactment of the Truman Doctrine. It points out that the insatiable demand of American Capitalism was one of the main reasons as spreading capitalism would guarantee open markets for America.

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        Furthermore, by 1947, the US Secretary of State George Marshall formulated a plan for the economic revival of the ailing European economies known as the Marshall Plan. This plan provided American financial support to the war-torn Europe. While all countries were eligible, they had to have a free market, available to American trade interests, making it impossible for Communist States to apply. This plan illustrates the transition faced by the American foreign policy, from isolationism to containment. Over seventeen billion dollars of American funds in the form of loans and grants were provided to Europe. Due to this plan, Western-European ...

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