From The Marshall Plan And Point Four Of Truman's Foreign Aid Policy

The period of the Truman Administration is very important in the history of foreign aids. In the period, the Truman Administration put in practice with large-scale foreign aids including the Marshall Plan and the Point IV. It is the first time that American Government put in practice with foreign aids in the peaceful period. It combined closely foreign aids with the foreign policy of the United States together, which influenced heavily the development of post-war world and Cold War. Therefore, the thesis is expected to examine the foreign aid policy of the Truman Administration deeply by reviewing the Marshall Plan and the Point IV.Various factors influenced a decision of the Truman Administration to put in practice with large-scale foreign aids. The strong economic power in the United States provided the economic foundation for foreign aids, and the exploring of a vast oversea market and a stable world economic order for the production ability which developed in the wartime is the economic reason that American carried out the foreign aid policy. It was Truman's "The Savior" mindset, the prejudice against communism and the acquaintance with foreign aids that influenced Truman administration put in practice. Particularly, the need of containment to Soviets integrated the foreign aid policy and containment strategy closely.In order to recover economy in the Western Europe, dissolve communism to the influence on the Western Europe, stabilize capitalist system in the Western Europe, expand market in the Western Europe and establish the free trade system, the Truman Administration put in practice with the Marshall Plan. That influences heavily the development of the Western Europe and Cold War. Implement of the Marshall Plan established the free trade system, stabilized political situation, dissolved communism influence in the Western Europe, and caused the division of Europe.The Truman administration carried out the Point IV in the Third World, which aimed to fit the Third World into its free trade system, enlarge export and eliminate the influence of Communism. The implement of the Plan promoted the economy of recipient country on the one hand, but it also made the economy of recipient country deformed and made them an American raw material and market on the other hand. The Point IV is the American first definite economic development policy to help the economy in the developing country and itbecomes the national policy for the first time. Truman's foreign aid policy exerted a deep influence on the afterward governments.Through the analysis of the Marshall Plan and the Point , it can be concluded that foreign aids policy of the Truman Administration is an important means of establishing the system of free trade in the postwar, which linked the recipient country with America in economy and laid a economic foundation for political and military group. It makes the economic and American company of recipient country have established economic foundation for one body for America establishes political military group. At the same time, it served for containment as well and is an important tool to containment strategy.