In a speech at the harvard commencement, secretary of state george c. The plan was a great success as the countries were economically prosperous when the plan ended what was it the situation encouraged the american secretary of state, general george c. One of the main reasons this was done was to stop communism basically the ussr the plan was named after secretary of state george marshall, but the plan was worked out by other people in the state department. The golden age of capitalism spanned from the end of the second world war in 1945 to the early 1970s, when the bretton woods monetary system. The marshall plan and the founding of the cominform, june. For the united states, the marshall plan provided markets for american goods, created reliable trading partners, and supported the development of stable democratic governments in western europe.
Marshall described the dangerous situations in europe and laid out the rationale for american involvement in nothing less than to lend a hand to help. Marshall plan, 1948 in the immediate postworld war ii period, europe remained ravaged by war and thus susceptible to exploitation by an internal and external communist threat. In the immediate postworld war ii period, europe remained ravaged by war and thus susceptible to exploitation by an internal and external communist threat. The state department insisted that europeans themselves shape the details of the program in order to avoid firm com mitments before congress officially approved. The marshall plan officially the european recovery program, erp was an american initiative passed in 1948 for foreign aid to western europe. The nations of europe had nothing to sell for hard currency, and the democratic.
This paper discusses the european marshall plan in three subsections. I am profoundly grateful, touched by the great distinction and honor and great compliment accorded me by the authorities of harvard this morning. The marshall plan was created in 1947, it was to help rebuild europe after the recent world war. On june 5, 1947, in an address at harvard university, secretary of state george c. During the spring of 1947, secretary of state george c. Marshall plan simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. If the united states doesnt help europes economy, were going to be staring down the barrel of another world war with so.
By the end of world war ii, most of europe was devastated, along with its economy. Ideas to extend it were stopped because of the cost of the korean war and rearmament. Trachtenbergresponses to cox and kennedypipe responses. On july 12, 1947 a larger meeting was convened in paris with nearly every country of europe invited. In just a few months, state department leadership under marshall with expertise provided by george kennan, william clayton and others crafted the marshall plan concept, which george marshall shared with the world in a speech on june 5, 1947 at harvard. Marshall launched in his harvard university commencement address what came to be known as the marshall plan.
The administration of the marshall plan and british health. This speech initiated the postwar european aid program commonly known as the marshall plan. As a result, a tripartite conference was held in late june 1947 between. Marshall third from right talks with harvard president james bryant conant on the steps of widener library during harvards commencement in 1947. Marshall nwdns306ps50476 as the wartorn nations of europe faced famine and economic crisis in the wake of world war ii, the united states proposed to rebuild the continent in the interest of political stability and a healthy world economy. The marshall plan 1947 on june 5, 1947, secretary of state george c. Henry kissinger recalls the content of marshalls 1947 commencement address, which marked a historic departure in american foreign policy. The marshall plan 1947 what follows is the text of the speech given by united states secretary of state, george c. This file is a copy of the exact typewritten speech signed by marshall. The marshall plan 19471951 by theodore wilson pamphlet, marking the 30th anniversary of the marshall plan, originally published in the headlines series by the foreign policy association. Jan 25, 2009 this short video has footage of george marshall testifying before congress in january, 1948 about the marshall plan to rebuild europe after world war ii. Secretary of state george marshall presented the plan at harvard university in june 1947, and it was met with acceptance by military leaders and political advisers. This pdf file provided by the marshall foundation is the complete marshall plan speech given in june 1947 by george marshall.
The consequences of the marshall plan are further broken down into three pieces. June 5th 1947 marshall plan this was a program of economic aid offered by the united states to any european country. The cia and the marshall plan central intelligence agency. The speech described the need for a plan to assist europe with its postwar economic recovery. Marshall insisted that the plan must establish an independent economy, a reasonable standard of living, and the elimination of trade barriers for the whole of. Marshall in an address at harvard university on june 5, 1947. Marshall, to propose that the usa should help to rebuild european economies by giving them massive sums of money.
Congresss approval of the marshall plan signaled an extension of the bipartisanship of world war ii into the postwar years. Embassy website in germany celebrating the 50th anniversary of the marshall plan. They are quite critical of american policy in 1947 and indeed in the postworld war ii. The truman doctrine and the marshall plan short history. Filling in some of the blanks 283 ireland, also like austria, has lacked substantial publications on the marshall plan and then, like a bus, three come along at once. Their discussion of the marshall plan, they say, shows that the united states played an important and perhaps leading role in the process that led ultimately to the division of europe and thus to the cold war itself. The text focuses first on the impact of the marshall plan on the organization of political and economic life in postwar europe and how the plan was perceived in european public opinion. Replacing an earlier proposal for a morgenthau plan, it operated for. During his speech, marshall said, it is logical that the united states should. Includes images of original primary source documents, lesson plans, teacher and student competitions, and educational resources.
The united states created the marshall plan 1947 as a. Marshall obviously provided financial aid to europe. The marshall plan and the socalled truman doctrine preceded and contributed to the creation of the aggressive nato bloc 1949. In a june 5, 1947, speech to the graduating class at harvard university, secretary of state george c. The marshall plan in 1947 was followed, less than two years later, by the creation of nato, an alliance that, for all its merits, contributed to a political division of europe lasting for 40 years. One of the main reasons this was done was to stop communism basically the ussr. Congress overwhelmingly passed the economic cooperation act of 1948, and on april 3, 1948, president truman signed the act that became known as the marshall plan. Marshall spoke at harvard university and outlined what would become known as the marshall plan. The european recovery programme nicknamed the marshall plan was set up because the economic infrastructure of europe had been destroyed by the second world war and because this and the coldest winter on record had by 1947 reduced the people of europe to starvation. But whereas the marshall plan is widely regarded as the largest and most effective foreignaid program in history, it is less widely appreciated for being the most successful example of an america first foreign policy.
On june 5, 1947, in a commencement address at harvard university, secretary of state george c. Choose from 466 different sets of the marshall plan flashcards on quizlet. Conant, members of the board of overseers, ladies and gentlemen. Marshall promulgated what would come to be known as the marshall plan. The marshall plan was an influential program that revolutionized american foreign policy by integrating the use of soft power with americas military might and other diplomatic tools. Marshall plan article about marshall plan by the free. Marshall to rehabilitate the economies of 17 western and southern european countries in order to create stable conditions in which democratic institutions could survive. The united states created the marshall plan 1947 as a program to 1 develop an atomic bomb 2 increase civil defense during the cold war 3 provide economic aid to wardamaged europe 4 deliver weapons to nationalist china. This short video has footage of george marshall testifying before congress in january, 1948 about the marshall plan to rebuild europe after world war ii. Europe, still devastated by the war, had just survived one of the worst winters on record. It then examines its role in the construction of european union and in the division of europe.
They are quite critical of american policy in 1947 and indeed in the postworld war ii period more. Republicans hostile to the plan had also gained seats in the 1950 congressional elections. The marshall plan has been described as the most unselfish act in history. On 5th june 1947 the us secretary of state, george marshall, gave a speech at harvard where he introduced his plan to help europe recover from this devastation, a plan officially known as the european recovery program, but commonly referred to as the marshall plan. Officially known as the european recovery program erp, the marshall plan was intended to. Finally, the book analyzes the debate about the economic impact. Marshall issued a call for a comprehensive program to rebuild europe. The marshall plan officially called the european recovery program erp was a plan of the united states for rebuilding the allied countries of europe after world war ii. If you are interested in the original version, with links and animations, please contact me and ill slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising.
Marshall plan, formally european recovery program 194851, u. If the marshall plan is the happy everyone wins plan, the morgenthau plan is the brutal germanyhastosuffer plan. The truman doctrine, outlined in a presidential speech to congress, makes it u. The limits of sovereignty finland and the question of the marshall plan in 1947 mikko majander there are two ways to approach the question of the marshall plan and the situation in europe in 1947.
The ussr and the satellite nations of eastern europe established their own economic program called comecon. Marshall plan, 1948 united states department of state. May 22, 2015 reflections on the marshall plan george c. Aug 23, 2017 the golden age of capitalism spanned from the end of the second world war in 1945 to the early 1970s, when the bretton woods monetary system collapsed. A scholarly view from above with an accepted right to wisdom after the fact may emphasize the structurallevel. If the united states doesnt help europes economy, were going to be staring down the barrel of another world war with so many communists. By this time, the writing was on the wall for the war, and the u.
Trachtenbergresponses to cox and kennedypipe responses the. Design, accomplishments, and relevance to the present. Terms in this set 5 what was itin 1947, there was a belief that communism could only be stopped if western europe became wealthytruman believed that communism succeeded when people faced poverty and hardship. The idea of the marshall plan was set forth by us secretary of state g. The marshall plan could have also provided support to other war torn continents. On the night of april 15, 1947, accompanied by smith and bohlen, who would act as translator, marshall made his way to the kremlin through. Marshall calls for an american plan to help europe recover from world war. Politics, ideology and the onset of the cold war, 1947, europeasia studies, 46, 8 1994 7186. Berlin blockade russias response to the merger of the french, usa and uk partitions of berlin was to. Sixteen countries accepted the invitation and the process of long and complex. For an account of this recent research, and an attempt to draw up a balance sheet of the current state of knowledge, see g. Soon this general principle was applied to western europe as a whole. Marshall proposed the extension of massive economic assistance to the devastated nations of europe, saying that the policy of the united states was not directed against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos.
Soft power, a term recently coined by harvard professor joseph nye, is the use of economic and. The united states of america and canada were the only major allied countries whose infrastructures were unscathed. This plan was publicized as a handup, not a hand out. Learn the marshall plan with free interactive flashcards. Marshall wanted to give the devastated countries a revived capitalist economy in an attempt to halt the spread of communist ideas.