In 1947, the American Secretary of State, George C. Marshall, suggested a comprehensive plan that would at once address the growing political divisions in Europe and help rebuild economies shattered by war. Aware that economic instability might make European populations more receptive to communism, Marshall proposed spending billions of dollars in aid to help rebuild the European economy. Unlike Truman’s vision of containment, Marshall described the program not as an anticommunist measure: “Our policy is directed not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos.” Through the Marshall Plan, the U.S. sent $13 billion to Europe with the aim of creating maximum employment for European workers, increasing European productivity, and raising the standard of living for entire countries.
Source:
Library of Congress, “The Men Responsible,” The Marshall Plan at Mid-Mark (accessed February 7, 2011).
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