1.4.1

US Policy Towards Britain & Europe

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US involvement in Europe

After 1947 the US realised that it would need to support Europe more than it had. America adopted the policy of containment and wanted to have long term involvement in European affairs.

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US attitudes to Western Europe

  • The American policy of containment was very different from their initial plans post-war.
  • The USA had initially thought the stabilisation of Germany would be quick and allow them to withdraw from Europe.
  • The USA thought they must intervene because they feared that communism would spread and take hold of other countries such as Greece, France and Italy.
  • The USA thought that if they supported Western European countries then they would be ‘pro-American’, thus blocking the spread of communism.
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The US and Britain

  • From 1947, Britain and America from promoted a ‘special relationship.' This helped Britain to retain its global status as a world power.
  • Britain was the least socialist of the European countries and the USA saw Britain as a militarily strong and politically stable.
Illustrative background for US attitudes to Eastern EuropeIllustrative background for US attitudes to Eastern Europe ?? "content

US attitudes to Eastern Europe

  • The USA did not plan on turning the Eastern bloc countries from communism as they felt they couldn’t be helped.
  • The USA thought there would be a divided Europe.

Jump to other topics

1Origins of the Cold War, 1945-9

2Widening of the Cold War

3The Global War

4Confrontation & Cooperation

5Brezhnev Era

6Ending of the Cold War

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