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U.S. Foreign Policy Transformation, 1945-1948: A Neoclassical Realist Perspective
Bernard, Josef ; Raška, Francis (advisor) ; Pondělíček, Jiří (referee)
This bachelor's thesis deals with the U.S. foreign policy transformation in the 1945-1948 period. In the post-World War Two era, the United States does not return to its traditionally detached foreign policy that characterizes most of its earlier history. Instead, the country remains a key player in international politics. The United States defines its new primary foreign policy interests and remains engaged almost throughout the entire world in its efforts to safeguard as well as pursue these interests. Despite the initial hopeful attitudes of the American leadership, the Soviet-American cooperation soon breaks down and the mutual relationship between the two countries quickly turns into a fully-fledged Cold War confrontation. Consequently, the United States doubles down on its global engagement. This work examines these most important aspects of the U.S. foreign policy transformation in the period starting from the end of the Second World War to the days before the First Berlin Crisis. In doing so, it utilizes the analytical model provided by neoclassical realist theory. The work consists of four main chapters. The first chapter describes the theoretical grounding of the entire work and especially explores the details of the neoclassical realist perspective. The second chapter provides a static picture of...
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The Origins of the Beginning of the Cold War
Machurka, Michal ; Stellner, František (advisor) ; Koura, Jan (referee)
This thesis analyzes the evolution of the relationship between the three powers and their relations with Turkey and Greece. In the case of Turkey from the interwar period to the approval of the Marshall Plan in April 1948. For Greece, the second half of the Second World War to the approval of the Marshall Plan. The work is divided into chapters that overlap in time, pursuing what is happening in other areas. The study of literature and sources the author came to assess the economic situation in post-war Europe and the Soviet foreign policy by the United States for direct involvement not only in Europe but also in other parts of the world. Soviet policy also allowed for greater rapprochement policy of Great Britain and the United States and countries in Western and Southern Europe. Key words Convention of Montreux, Kars, Ardahan, Greek Civil War, Cold War, Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan
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The Role of Greece anf Turkey in the U.S. Strategy of Containment, 1945-1953
Koura, Jan ; Kovář, Martin (advisor) ; Horčička, Václav (referee) ; Tajovský, Ladislav (referee)
Among the states, the history of which was affected by the Cold War can undoubtedly be ranked both Greece and Turkey. Their geostrategic singularity, accentuated by the outcomes of the World War II, caused that the "struggle" between the United States and the Soviet Union for influence in those countries had considerably contributed to a shift in the course of U.S. foreign policy towards the Soviet Union and to adopting an entirely new strategic concept which was to be called as the "strategy of containment". A number of quality books have already been dealing with the general characteristics of this strategy; however, historians have not turned enough attention - which is rather surprising - to its implementation in particular countries and territories. Therefore, an analysis of particular impacts of the strategy of containment on Greece and Turkey, as well as an evaluation of how successfully this approach of the United States towards both the countries worked, have become primary aims of my dissertation. The U.S. strategy of containment, which can be regarded as an example of the so called "grand strategy", had become a key factor of the U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. The process of its coming into existence was complicated and cannot be marked off by one document or an event; its...
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The Truman Doctrine: Greece and Turkey
Urban, Petr ; Smetana, Vít (advisor) ; Fojtek, Vít (referee)
In this paper, I compare the causes, development and effect, that the promulgation of the Truman Doctrine had. I argue that the theses, declared by President Truman contrasted fundamentally with the subsequent advancement of their application to contain communism in Greece and Turkey. I prove this incompatibility on the analysis of (1) the causes, why the Doctrine was promulgated in the United States, with stress on the Turkish Straits crisis of 1946, (2) the American economic and military aid to Greece in 1947-1948 and (3) the strategic support of Turkey by the United States. This triplet of events forms the backdrop to the three related aims, which the authors of the Doctrine pursued. One was to garner domestic support for a swift change in the American foreign policy towards the role of a world superpower. The second aim was to forestall the expansion of the Soviet sphere of influence (to contain communism) and the final aim was the support of freedom and democracy as a means of countering the communist ideology. The three given points contrast with the actual problems that threatened Greece and Turkey. By analyzing the key events surrounding the Truman Doctrine through the years 1946 to 1948 I look for the reason for its success. I see it in the combination of a moralist ideological attitude on...
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European Integration: US Plan for Protection of Western Europe against Communism
Brach, Radim ; Anděl, Petr (advisor) ; Raška, Francis (referee)
After the World War II Europe was in a situation in which there was no possibility of enhancing its prosperity on its own. At that moment it was necessary to choose one of the dominant opponent sides the USA or the USSR to cooperate with. Due to political and economical systems similarity Western Europe joined the side of the United States, which immediately started developing new approaches towards defeated Germany, expansionistic Soviet Union and devastated Europe. This resulted in formulation of containment policy which was later developed into the Truman doctrine and the Marshall plan. In the first post- war years the main tool of the United States approach towards European stability was economical help. Development of economies was impossible without active cooperation among European countries and therefore the United States and especially the Congress pressed for economic integration. It was also supposed to create better connection between European economies and to enable the expansion of American goods to Europe. At the beginning of 1950s with the first sparks of Korean War the main stress was laid on cooperation in defensive field. All these attempts for enhancing the US position and development of Europe also led to the initiation of European integration process.
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Marshall Plan and Czechoslovakia
Pazdera, Lukáš ; Soběhart, Radek (advisor) ; Stellner, František (referee)
This Bachelor Essay considers the topic of Czechoslovakia and The Marshall Plan. Its hypothesis is that it's one of the most important event of 20th century Czechoslovakian history, which influenced postwar development and heralded the coming to power of the communists in 1948. Another important element is the change in international politics, which was the beginning of the Cold War's emergence of bad relations between the two great powers, the United States of America and the Soviet Union. Important roles were also played by other changes in the postwar development of Czechoslovakia, such as the expulsion of the Germans, land and currency reform, or the election in 1946. The main conclusion of the essay is that Czechoslovakia was not prepared with a clear concept of foreign policy and that negotiations about the Marshall Plan were only at the political level and lacked economic analysis. The key factor of the rejection of the Marshall Plan is considered to be the excessive trust in the foreign policies of the Soviet Union and the Czechoslovakian alliance with it.
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Circumstances associated with announcement of so called Marshall plan
Beran, Jiří ; Tajovský, Ladislav (advisor) ; Krček, Matěj (referee)
This bachelor thesis analyses the situation which ocurred on the field of foreign relations in the two-year period after the World War Two. The main subject of my interest is foreign policy practised by the United States between years 1945-1947. Immediate postwar enthusiasm of president F. D. Roosvelt towards the ongoing colaboration with the Soviet Union was replaced by Truman's much cautious approach. It was Kennan's "Long Telegram" which ment the definite deflection of the White House to consider Stalin as an ally. The friction between world-powers escalated in the first half of 1947. The Congress approved the aid for Greece and Turkey (Truman Doctrine) meaning the oncoming of containment. Following that and regarding the European situation which appeared as a key one for the future worldwide arrangement, the Marshall Plan was announced on the 5th June 1947. My thesis offers answers to the following questions. What stood on the background of the decisions thanks to them the United States have chosen this direction? Did any other alternatives exist? What were the concrete consequences of the new American foreign politics?
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