The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan
President Truman in address to the US Congress on 12 March 1947:
'At the present moment in world history nearly every nation must choose between alternative ways of life. The choice is too often not a free one.
One way of life is based upon the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative government, free elections, guarantees of individual liberty, freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political oppression.
The second way of life is based upon the will of a minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror and oppression, a controlled press and radio; fixed elections, and the suppression of personal freedoms.
I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.
I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.
I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes.'
TASK 1
Read the document above and discuss with a pair about these:
1.1. What justification does Truman give for his Doctrine?
1.2. Identify the key words that Truman uses to describe the West and key words he uses to describe countries under Soviet control. Why do you think he uses this type of language?
1.3. How important is this document for explaining the development of the Cold War?
TASK 2
Study pages 33 - 35 on textbook and answer to the following questions to your notebook.
2.1. How fair is it to argue that 'the interest that the Czechoslovakian government expressed in participating the Marshall Plan was the starting point to the communists accession to power'?
2.2. Assess how succesful the Marshall Plan was from the US point of view.
2.3. Examine the motives and results of the establishment of the COMECON.
2.4. Study the table on page 35. What kind of conclusions can you make on the allocation of the Marshall Plan assistance?
'At the present moment in world history nearly every nation must choose between alternative ways of life. The choice is too often not a free one.
One way of life is based upon the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative government, free elections, guarantees of individual liberty, freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political oppression.
The second way of life is based upon the will of a minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror and oppression, a controlled press and radio; fixed elections, and the suppression of personal freedoms.
I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.
I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.
I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes.'
TASK 1
Read the document above and discuss with a pair about these:
1.1. What justification does Truman give for his Doctrine?
1.2. Identify the key words that Truman uses to describe the West and key words he uses to describe countries under Soviet control. Why do you think he uses this type of language?
1.3. How important is this document for explaining the development of the Cold War?
TASK 2
Study pages 33 - 35 on textbook and answer to the following questions to your notebook.
2.1. How fair is it to argue that 'the interest that the Czechoslovakian government expressed in participating the Marshall Plan was the starting point to the communists accession to power'?
2.2. Assess how succesful the Marshall Plan was from the US point of view.
2.3. Examine the motives and results of the establishment of the COMECON.
2.4. Study the table on page 35. What kind of conclusions can you make on the allocation of the Marshall Plan assistance?