2.2 What was the Truman Doctrine?

Question 1

what was the truman doctrine

Answer 1

• truman promised support to any country threatened by communism
• accepted that nothing could be done about communism in Eastern Europe and that the focus should be on ‘containing it’

Question 2

when did truman outline the truman doctrine

Answer 2

in a speech on 12 march 1947

Question 3

when did truman serve as senator and in which state

Answer 3

missouri, from 1935 to 1945

Question 4

what key decisions did truman make during his presidency

Answer 4

• dropping the atomic bombs on japan
• the USA should become involved in the conflict in Korea

Question 5

what was truman’s speech responding to

Answer 5

• 1947: greece was in a civil war between supporters of the former king and communists
• according to percentages agreement, greece should remain in western sphere of influence
• britain and usa could not accept communism in greece, too close to the centre of europe
• if soviets took control of turkey it would give them access to the mediterranean sea and middle east

Question 6

how did stalin respond to trumans speech

Answer 6

created cominform (Communist Information Bureau)

Question 7

why was cominform created

Answer 7

• to bring unity to communist countries behind the iron curtain
• members would regularly meet in moscow so that stalin could ensure that they were all following the same policies
• stalin saw Truman Doctrine as a direct threat to communism and took the opportunity to bring Eastern European communist governments closer to moscow