Key Concepts

Before you begin...

Notes are given here as well as in the Readings Document from Boundless that is available to download below. There are two presentation to view over the next few pages (questions and answers can be drawn from these as well). This key concepts lesson is very important as it covers the main areas of the Advanced Placement frameworks and the Georgia Performance Standards. Many of the test questions will relate to items found here.

Click here to download the Boundless Readings for this module.

Key Concepts Quiz icon Download the key concepts questions that are found below and answer these as you read and view the information. The answers are found in the text on this and the following pages, the Readings Document, and in the presentation. After you have done this you will use these answers to take the assignment check quiz for this module. Again, it is very important that you answer the questions carefully before taking the assignment check.

Click here to download the Key Concepts Questions for this module.

The Cold War begins an important era in American history that spans decades. To get an overview of how it began and its early flashpoints, view and listen to the presentation below.

President Truman signing the European Recovery Act, also known as the Marshall Plan.

Marshall Plan

The European Recovery Program, better known as the Marshall Plan for Secretary of State George Marshall, was America's main program for rebuilding Western Europe and opposing communism after World War II. The plan was put into action in July 1947 and operated for four years. During that time, the United States spent thirteen billion dollars on economic and technical assistance for the war-torn democratic European countries that had been nearly destroyed during World War II. The Marshall Plan offered the same aid to the Soviet Union and its allies if they would make political reforms and accept certain outside controls; however, the Soviets rejected this proposal.

Commitment to Europe

To halt the spread of communism to Western Europe from the Soviet-controlled nations of Eastern Europe, the United States formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with many of the noncommunist nations in Europe, including former wartime allies Britain and France. NATO is based on a principle of "collective security" in which if one nation of NATO is attacked then all the other nations will come to its assistance. In response, the Soviet Union created the Warsaw Pact, an alliance of the communist nations it controlled in Eastern Europe. Convinced the Soviets were attempting to establish a sphere of influence throughout the world, the United States viewed these actions as a direct threat to American security. This determination to stop the spread of communism is known as the policy of containment and was the basis for many U.S. foreign policy decisions during the Cold War.

Truman Doctrine

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman proclaimed the Truman Doctrine. It stated the United States would supply any nation with economic and military aid to prevent its falling under the Soviet sphere of influence. Truman called upon the United States to "support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures." Although Truman never referred directly to the U.S.S.R., anyone who heard the declaration, including the Soviet leaders, knew the Soviets were the "outside pressures" Truman talked about.

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.