U.s. Economic Assistance To Poland. Wave Hungary After The Incident The Origin (1956-1957)

Following the Polish and Hungarian Incidents in 1956, the US began to provide economic aid to Poland. In the context of the Cold War, particularly the death of Stalin in 1953, Khrushchev's secret report at the Twentieth Congress of the CPSU in 1956, the riot in Poznan in June, 1956 and the counter-revolutionary rebellion in Hungary in October, the strategic role of Poland was the prerequisite of the policy. The fundamental goal of the aid was to exert American influence on Eastern European countries and thereby disintegrated the Soviet Bloc. In view of relatively little research outcome at home, this thesis is intended to analyze the issue via archival material released in the US and related studies at home and abroad.This thesis falls into five sections.Section One introduces the background of the US aid to Poland as a result of the policy change. Poland was in total subordination to the USSR from 1948 to 1953. With a succession of events, including the death of Stalin, the Twentieth Congress of the CPSU, the riot in Poznan in June and the counter-revolutionary rebellion in Hungary in October, the Poland-Russia tie began to change. The US took advantage of the change and brought forth the economic aid plan to Poland.Section Two elaborates on the anticipated goals and the tendencies of the aid. The US put forth a series of goals and showed intentions to provide economical aid to Poland many times, whereas Poland did not respond on the issue. The two sides just negotiated in private.Section Three covers how the aid policy was unveiled. In 1957, the US and Poland discussed on a series of aid issues and reached a deal at an economy talk. The US promulgated NSC5705 file, which can be seen as a template of the aid. However, disputes still remained at home in the US and consequently evoked the Wheat Incident in Canada.Sector Four analyses the influence of the aid on Poland, which virtually geared up Polish economy and stabilized its interior situation. Nevertheless, despite the positive influence on the US national interest, the aid took its toll on the tie between the US and other allied countries and neutral countries. The United States completed its change in policy of Eastern Europe, and ultimately established "peaceful evolution" strategy in Eastern Europe, through this stage of economic aid to Poland.Sector Five makes a general evaluation on the foreign aid policy of the US. As a essential diplomatic instrument, foreign aid played a positive role in post-War complementation operations and realizing American interest. For the time being, the US foreign aid policy takes on new look and remains an effective diplomatic tool to exercise deeper influence on world pattern.