International Journal of History and Culture Studies

Abstract

After World War II, the European economy completely collapsed. Since production shifted to the arms industry during the war, agricultural production came to a halt and hunger occurred. The Soviet Union, which emerged stronger from the war, took advantage of this situation and carried out activities to spread communism in Eastern European countries. At that time, the only state that could be considered equal to the Soviets in terms of balance of power was the United States. The USA did not want communism to spread in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. In this direction, 16 European countries and allies representing Germany came together at the Paris Conference, where Soviet Russia did not participate, and prepared the European Development Program on how and where the aid would be used. After some arrangements were made, the USA gained the upper hand in Europe with the Marshall plan, which was passed by the US Congress. With the aid it provided, it prevented the decrease in the amount of exports in Europe and also had the opportunity to intervene in the areas and places where this aid would be used. In this way, it made the countries it aided economically dependent on it. At that time, Turkey approached the USA and the Western bloc to escape from political loneliness after the end of the war and against the Soviet threat. Türkiye acted very willingly regarding the Truman doctrine and Marshall economic aid. In fact, these aids came to determine even the success of the administrations in Turkey at that time. Since Turkey did not participate in the war in the beginning, it was not included in this aid, but later it was included among the countries to which this aid would be given, on the condition that it agreed to be the grain depot of Europe and gave up its heavy industry. Thus, a four-year aid process covering the years 1948-1952 began. Europe developed in a short time as a result of the aid provided.