THE MARSHALL PLAN IN AUSTRIA: A STUDY IN AMERICAN CONTAINMENT OF THE SOVIET UNION IN THE COLD WAR

This is a case study of American policy in Europe during the Cold War with special reference to Austria. The underlying reason for America's postwar involvement in Europe was a decision to oppose--or contain--the influence of the Soviet Union. From 1947 to 1949 the Truman administration relied primarily upon two economic measures to contain the U.S.S.R. in Europe: the Marshall Plan, which provided assistance in rebuilding the war-torn nations of Europe; and the export control programs, which denied strategic military and industrial commodities to the socialist states of Eastern Europe.; The United States initially extended aid to Austria in May 1947. Though the Truman administration was relieved that Austrians had elected a pro-Western government in 1945, an occupation program involving Great Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union drained the nation's already weak economy. In particular, Washington feared that without help the U.S.S.R. could dominate Austria through manipulation of extensive economic holdings in the eastern zone. Hence the United States financed Austria's rehabilitation to ensure that Vienna remained independent of Moscow.; While the Truman administration granted aid to Vienna to counter Communist pressure on Austria, it adjusted official American policy to take into account the presence of Soviet soldiers on Austrian soil. To avoid a confrontation with the U.S.S.R. which could have led to Austria's dismemberment, the United States tempered its anti-communism with the acceptance of Soviet superiority in the eastern zone. Yet Washington meticulously supervised its assistance operations in Austria to deny American products to Soviet forces, especially those restricted to Eastern Europe.; By 1949 the Cold War had cost Austria its commercial ties with Eastern Europe and forced continuation of the occupation program. These events slowed Austria's recovery and prolonged dependence upon American aid.; Since both Austrian and Soviet archives remain closed to students of the Cold War, this work depends primarily upon American documentary materials from the National Archives and the Washington National Records Center. Although this work relies upon numerous recently declassified materials from the Departments of State, Army, and Commerce, the most valuable records were those of the American aid missions to Austria, the Vienna Post Files, and the State Department Decimal Files from 1945 to 1949. This manuscript concentrates on a previously neglected area of American history, and is the prelude to an extended examination of American policy in Austria from the end of World War II to the Austrian State Treaty of 1955.