Marshall plan (officially called "Europe Reconstruction Program") - a program to help Europe after World War II (1939-1945). It was proposed in 1947 by US Secretary of State George C. Marshall and came into force in April 1948. 17 European states participated in the implementation of the plan.
In this article, we will look at the main features of the Marshall Plan.
History of the Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was designed to establish post-war peace in Western Europe. The American government was interested in the presented plan for many reasons.
In particular, the United States has officially declared its desire and assistance in restoring the European economy after a devastating war. In addition, the United States sought to get rid of trade barriers and eradicate communism from power structures.
At that time, the head of the White House was Harry Truman, who entrusted retired General George Marshall with the post of secretary of state in the presidential administration.
It is worth noting that Truman was interested in the escalation of the Cold War, so he needed a person who would promote the interests of the state in various areas. As a result, Marshall was ideally suited for this purpose, having high intellectual abilities and intuition.
European recovery program
After the end of the war, many European countries were in dire economic conditions. The people lacked the bare essentials and experienced severe hyperinflation.
The development of the economy was extremely slow, and meanwhile, in most countries, communism was becoming an increasingly popular ideology.
The American leadership was concerned about the spread of communist ideas, seeing this as a direct threat to national security.
In the summer of 1947, representatives of 17 European states met in France to consider the Marshall Plan. Officially, the plan was aimed at the speedy development of the economy and the elimination of trade barriers. As a result, this project entered into force on April 4, 1948.
According to the Marshall plan, the United States pledged to provide $ 12.3 billion in gratuitous aid, cheap loans and long-term leases over 4 years. By giving such generous loans, America pursued selfish goals.
The fact is that after the war, the United States was the only large state whose economy remained at a high level. Thanks to this, the US dollar has become the main reserve currency on the planet. However, despite a number of positive aspects, America needed a sales market, so it needed Europe to be in a stable state.
Thus, in restoring Europe, the Americans invested in their further development. It should be remembered that, according to the prescribed conditions in the Marshall Plan, all allocated funds could be used exclusively for the purchase of industrial and agricultural products.
However, the United States was interested not only in economic, but also in political benefits. Experiencing a particular disgust for communism, the Americans ensured that all countries participating in the Marshall Plan expel communists from their governments.
By rooting out the pro-communist forces, America in fact had an impact on the formation of the political situation in a number of states. Thus, the payment for economic recovery for the countries that received loans was a partial loss of political and economic independence.
