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Year 11
AQA

The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan

I can explain the significance of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan.

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New
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Year 11
AQA

The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan

I can explain the significance of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Truman was concerned that high levels of poverty would allow communism to spread more easily in post-war Europe.
  2. The Truman Doctrine committed the USA to a policy of containment.
  3. The aim of the Marshall Plan was to stop the spread of communism by providing economic support to Western Europe.
  4. In response to the Marshall Plan, Stalin established Cominform and Comecon.
  5. The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan (and the Soviet response they provoked) widened the divide between East and West.

Keywords

  • Truman Doctrine - Truman's idea that it was the USA's responsibility to prevent the spread of communism around the world

  • Containment - using American influence and military resources to prevent the spread of communism into non-communist countries

  • Isolationism - an approach to international relations that is based on not getting involved in the affairs of other countries

  • Marshall Plan - an American programme of economic aid that aimed to stop the spread of communism by supporting countries to recover from the Second World War

Common misconception

The USA always considered it had a responsibility to protect Europe from threats.

Before the Second World War, the USA had a policy of isolationism which meant not getting involved in the affairs of other countries.

Encourage students to keep adding to a glossary of names and acronyms (such as Comecon and Cominform) as they go through this unit, and try to use them accurately in their work.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What was Stalin determined to create in Eastern Europe to protect the USSR against future attack?
Correct Answer: buffer zone, Buffer zone, Buffer Zone, a buffer zone, A buffer zone
Q2.
Which word describes a government in which two or more political parties work together to run a country?
Correct Answer: coalition government, Coalition government, A coalition government, Coalition
Q3.
Which of the following countries were occupied by the Red Army by the time of the Potsdam Conference in July 1945?
Correct answer: Poland
Correct answer: Czechoslovakia
Hungary
Britain
Netherlands
Q4.
Put the following methods of Soviet takeover of Eastern European governments in order, starting with the earliest.
1 - Coalition governments were set up so communists shared power with other parties.
2 - The communists took over key areas that would allow them to control the country.
3 - The communists intimidated/attacked their opponents so they were forced to flee.
4 - Rigged elections were held to ensure the communists won.
Q5.
Why did Stalin have to use rigged elections in Poland to ensure a communist government?
Correct answer: At Yalta and Potsdam, Stalin secured a large amount of land in eastern Poland.
Correct answer: Many Poles hated/feared the USSR and were angry about the lost territory.
At Yalta and Tehran, Stalin secured a large amount of land in western Poland.
Many Russians hated/feared Poland and were angry about the lost territory.
Q6.
What view did Winston Churchill present in his 'Iron Curtain' speech in 1946?
Britain was a threat to freedom and world peace.
The USA was a threat to freedom and world peace.
Correct answer: The USSR was a threat to freedom and world peace.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Truman was concerned that high levels of poverty would allow to spread more easily in post-war Europe.
Correct Answer: communism, Communism
Q2.
Match the keywords to the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:containment,US policy to prevent the spread of communism.

US policy to prevent the spread of communism.

Correct Answer:isolationism,US policy of not getting involved in the affairs of other countries.

US policy of not getting involved in the affairs of other countries.

Correct Answer:Marshall Plan,US programme of aid that aimed to stop the spread of communism.

US programme of aid that aimed to stop the spread of communism.

Correct Answer:Truman Doctrine,Truman's idea that it was the US' responsibility to prevent communism.

Truman's idea that it was the US' responsibility to prevent communism.

Q3.
In response to the Marshall Plan, Stalin established Comecon in 1947 and in 1949.
Comepro
Correct answer: Cominform
Comoutform
Q4.
Why was Britain unable to financially support post-war recovery in Western Europe like Truman hoped?
After seven years of war, Britain was almost bankrupt.
Correct answer: After six years of war, Britain was almost bankrupt.
After six years of war, Britain wanted to become isolationist.
After five years of war, Britain was focusing on domestic issues.
Q5.
How much aid did Truman announce the US was sending to Greece and Turkey in March 1947?
$100 million
$200 million
Correct answer: $400 million
$300 million
Q6.
What was the official name of the Marshall Plan?
the European Reparations Plan (ERP)
the European Relief Plan (ERP)
Correct answer: the European Recovery Plan (ERP)
the European Response Plan (ERP)

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