​Alliances

• ​The US and its allies established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949. This is a defense agreement between the nations to defend each other in case of an attack. "An attack on one is an attack on all."

• The Soviet Union and its allies established the Warsaw Pact ​as a response to NATO. It was also a mutual defense agreement between countries.

• UK Prime Minister ​Winston Churchill said that these alliances divided the world between East and West and was separated by an Iron Curtain.

​Iron Curtain

​Early Cold War U.S. Foreign Policy

​The United States's foreign policy during the Cold War was containment. They would not threaten the Soviet Union's influences or communist governments where they existed, but would stop (or contain) communism from spreading to other countries.

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CON-TAIN-MENT!​

​Early Examples of Containment

• ​Truman Doctrine - 1947 declaration by President Harry Truman that the United States would assist people under threat from communist or Soviet influences.

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• Marshall Plan - ​In 1948, provided $13 billion in assistance to countries recovering from destruction caused by World War 2.

• Berlin Airlift - airlifted food and supplies to overcome blockade of West Berlin by Soviet Union

​What do you notice about the countries that benefitted from the Marshall Plan?