How Did The Marshall Plan Affect Western Europe
In Europe, the years following the destruction brought on by World War II, were filled with supply shortages, political upheaval and economic instability. On March 1, 1947, Secretary of State, George C. Marshall. attended a meeting of Foreign Ministers in Moscow. During this meeting, Secretary Marshall became convinced of Moscow’s willingness to exploit the turmoil in order to further its expansion of a Communist ideology throughout Europe. To combat the expansion of Communism, he began developing the Marshall Plan and announced his ideas at a June speech at Harvard. With both America and Europe weary from the war, direct conflict with Russia was not a real possibility. Marshall insisted that his plan was humanitarian in nature and offered
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Communist unions in France attempted to disrupt the government through strikes and upcoming elections in Italy showed the communist party was vying for control. The Fall of 1947 presented France with industrial disputes which rendered basic infrastructure such as electricity and railways to become paralyzed. By December, the number of French workers on strike numbered over 3 million. Clandestine CIA operations in Italy along with the Catholic Church worked to give Christian Democrats its first outright majority in parliament. David Reynolds suggests in his essay that, “The promise of American aid helped persuade the center-left in both of these countries to break with the communists and, in France's case, with Soviet foreign policy” By keeping communist from taking positions of power in these two countries, the Marshall Plan’s strategy of containment was successful. Had Communism been allowed to gain power in France and Italy, the feared “Domino Theory” proposed by Truman in March of 1947, could have easily been realized. Both countries still held considerable influence in European political agenda and their participation in the Marshall Plan was essential in preventing Western Europe from becoming part of the Soviet regime. It also confirmed a division of Europe along political lines. Western European countries would begin necessary cooperation and integration while Eastern European countries, under pressure from Moscow, rejected the assistance offered. This cooperation fell in line with Keenan;s assertion that it would take a unified effort, with support from America, to address the threat of
Communist unions in France attempted to disrupt the government through strikes and upcoming elections in Italy showed the communist party was vying for control. The Fall of 1947 presented France with industrial disputes which rendered basic infrastructure such as electricity and railways to become paralyzed. By December, the number of French workers on strike numbered over 3 million. Clandestine CIA operations in Italy along with the Catholic Church worked to give Christian Democrats its first outright majority in parliament. David Reynolds suggests in his essay that, “The promise of American aid helped persuade the center-left in both of these countries to break with the communists and, in France's case, with Soviet foreign policy” By keeping communist from taking positions of power in these two countries, the Marshall Plan’s strategy of containment was successful. Had Communism been allowed to gain power in France and Italy, the feared “Domino Theory” proposed by Truman in March of 1947, could have easily been realized. Both countries still held considerable influence in European political agenda and their participation in the Marshall Plan was essential in preventing Western Europe from becoming part of the Soviet regime. It also confirmed a division of Europe along political lines. Western European countries would begin necessary cooperation and integration while Eastern European countries, under pressure from Moscow, rejected the assistance offered. This cooperation fell in line with Keenan;s assertion that it would take a unified effort, with support from America, to address the threat of