8A - Soviet Aggression

Describe the U.S. responses to Soviet aggression after World War II, including the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the Berlin airlift, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and John F. Kennedy’s role in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

A standoff between U.S. President John F. Kennedy and the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev following a report of Soviets constructing missile sites in Cuba.

JFK stated that any attack on the United States from missiles based in Cuba would be considered an act of war from the Soviet Union and ordered a naval blockade in the waters near Cuba.

In 1963 Kennedy secured a nuclear test-ban treaty with the Soviets. In times of crisis, direct communication between the White House and the Kremlin. *

Berlin Airlift

The Communist blockade of West Berlin prompted the British and U.S. to fly planes to deliver humanitarian supplies into Berlin for nearly a year.

By initiating the Berlin Airlift, the U.S. was able to bypass a Soviet blockade and avoid military conflict. *

Soviet Aggression

between 1918 to 1920 communists defeated anti-communists in Russia. In 1922 the communists created the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR or the Soviet Union). European countries and the United States feared that communist expansion would threatened established governments; especially those that were democratic. After WWII, Turkey and Greece were under Soviet expansion.

Truman Doctrine (1947)

policy of the Truman administration to help Greece and Turkey with military and economic aid to help them to “survive as a free nation.” Several policies of President Harry S. Truman were done in an attempt to contain Soviet aggression. Truman told Congress that this was a global struggle of freedom over communism. Truman believed that the United States should support free people who are resisting communism.

Marshall Plan

Proposed in 1947 by Secretary of State George Marshall An economic program to contain communism that would give economic assistance to Europe that would allow them to then resist communism.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

An organization created due to Stalin’s attempt to eliminate the involvement of the West in Berlin through the Berlin blockade. The United States joined Canada, Iceland, and nine other western European nations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

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