American+Role+in+Europe+1st+Period

= American Role in Europe =

The United States played a major role in Europe during World War II. The President appointed George Marshall to create the Marshall Plan which donated money to Europe to help them economically. President Truman created the Truman Doctrine which kept some European countries from falling into communism and to Soviet rule. The United States supplied airplanes and other necessary goods for Europe. They also made the decision to have an airlift instead of giving in to Stalin's demand to control Western Berlin. America felt an obligation to help the countries that were decolonized by Europe. They created dictatorships instead of a communist government. The United States greatly helped Europe in their time of need and helped them to become a better country.

**The Marshall Plan**
Europe and the rest of the world were deeply affected by the many years of conflict during World War II. Agriculture production and transportation were disrupted by the war, and most of Europe was on the brink of a famine. The only major power in the world that was not damaged was the United States. United States President Harry Truman appointed George Marshall to create a solution to this world economic problem. The Marshall Plan was originally known as the European Recovery Program (ERP) and was designed to rebuild the Western European economy after the war. "Marshall was convinced the key to restoration of political stability lay in the revitalization of national economies." Sixteen nations became part of program that gave assistance to affected countries. European nations received about $13 billion, which provided shipments of food, stapes, fuel and machinery from the United States. The nations that were a part of the Marshall Plan were greatly assisted in their economic recovery. European economies greatly grew between 1948 and 1952. The Marshall Plan helped to create the great European Union that exists today.

Truman Doctrine
After the second World War the United States feared countries would take on the domino effect and fall into communism. On March 12, 1947 President Harry Truman of the United States made a policy called the Truman Doctrine. His plan was to aid Greece and Turkey with money and keep them from becoming a Russian communistic country. The Truman Doctrine granted Turkey and Greece a combined 500 million dollars in military aid money. Presidents after Truman used the Truman Doctrine as a guideline to stop communism from happening. President Eisenhower created the Eisenhower Doctrine which allowed countries especially in the Middle East to ask for military and financial aid to keep them from being ruled by a communist country. President Kennedy contained communism by establishing the Alliance for Progress which sent aid to troubled countries in Latin America. President Johnson also known as "LBJ" stopped communist expansion by going to war with Vietnam. In America we treat communism as a bad word and that's why presidents take action and stop it from happening.

Berlin Airlift
The Berlin blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. In this, the Soviet Union blocked the western allies railway and the road access to the Berlin sectors under allied control. By doing this the Soviets wanted to gain more power by being able to control the entire city. The Americans had a choice to either give into the demands of Stalin or to have the Airlift. The Americans chose have the Berlin Airlift which brought tons of goods and vital necessities to Western Berlin. They brought these supplies over because the Soviet Union was making unfair rations. The goal was to supply two million citizens of Berlin with food, fuel, and other things that they would need. They worked around the clock to fly all of these supplies into Western Berlin. During 1948 and 1949 there were around 277,000 flights that lasted about three minutes each. By spring of 1949, there were about two million tons of goods delivered, an average of 8,000 tons each trip.

Decolonization by European Countries in Africa and Asia
 The Third World emerged during the Cold War. The leader of India, the president of Indonesia, the leader of Yugoslavia and Egypt all opposed the French and British Powers and when the Geneva Conference was held it put and end to the French War with Vietnam. In 1960 UN General Assembly voted for the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and the People, this however wasn't efficient so the Third World grew throughout the 1960's because of social and economical differences. The U.S. felt they had an obligation to help the colonies that were decolonized by Europe, they created dictatorships so these newly independent colonies wouldn't fall under communism.   African Countries in order of Independence   ||
 *  Decolonization is the action of changing from colonial to independent status. The people in France were upset with the colonies effort that was provided by their troops. France didn't want to allow the people independence, this created two wars. Abd el-Krim 's Rif War (1921–1925) was in Morocco and it created Messali Hadj's Star of North Africa in Algeria in 1925. In 1946 French Indochina withdrew from the union, this led to a war with the French Communist Party. In March of 1947 there was an uprising in Madagascar and it lasted for a year and almost 100,000 people died. In 1956 Morocco and Tunisia gained their independence during the Algerian War, Cambodia and Laos got their independence before Morocco and Tunisia so France could focus on keeping Vietnam in their Union. Decolonization of France ended with the independence of Sub-Saharan Africa's colonies in 1960.

The United States decided to have a large role in helping Europe after World War II because they would be affected if they didn't help. The U.S. economy could be affected by Eurpoe's declining economy. Other countries could fall into communism and become a threat to America. The United States was one of the only able countries that could really help Europe.
 * Question: Why did the United States decide to have a large role in the world and to help Europe after World War II? **

Sources:
[|The Marshall Plan] [|Marshall Plan Pictures] [|The Berlin Airlift] [|Decolonization of Africa and Asia]