The launch of the Marshall Plan, June 1947 Flashcards
(33 cards)
what happened in May 1947?
Clayton, as Under-Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, returned from a fact-finding tour of Western Europe
what did Clayton conclude?
a failure to revive the economies of European states would damage the USA economically
what did Clayton predict?
the loss of markets for American goods and the consequent unemployment in the USA - he emphasised a sense of urgency in ensuring that these outcomes didn’t happen
how was his analysis received by the USA?
it was alarmist and exaggerated the economic importance of Europe to the USA
what did his findings illustrate?
the USA’s rising concern about the nature of its long-term relationship with Europe
what happened in May 1947?
George Kennan’s Policy Planning Staff (PPS) group stated that it didn’t regard communist activities in Western Europe as the basic problem there
what was the real issue for the PPS?
the profound impact of WW2 upon the economic, political and social structure of Europe
what did the PPS believe the focus of US aid to Europe be on?
the restoration of Europe’s economic strength rather than on combating communism
what happened on 5 June 1947?
George Marshall unveiled his plan, known as the European Recovery Program (ERP)
what was a condition of receiving the aid?
some of it had to be spent on importing goods from the USA
what were the aims of the plan?
to benefit the American economy by helping in Europe’s economic reconstruction and aimed at promoting European unity
what would reinforce Truman’s idea of containment?
a stable European bloc would be created
what did the American vision for Europe rest on?
the creation of a single European market
what have historians argued that the Marshall Plan contributed significantly to?
the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community and to the existence of the European Economic Community from 1957
what was the Marshall Plan not inspired to do?
as a strategy to prevent Soviet military intervention into Western Europe
what did the Marshall Plan recognise?
the risk that continued post-war economic stagnation could lead to communist regimes being democratically elected into office by despairing populations
what was the USA convinced that the economic stagnation would result in?
such regimes falling under the influence of the Soviet Union
what was the Marshall Plan designed to do?
reverse this trend
what was the USA profoundly concerned about?
political and economic stability in Europe, particularly in France and Italy
what was the state of the French Communist Party by 1947?
it had 1.7 million members
what could the continuing economic crisis lead to?
growing support for the movement, which could result in the Soviet Union having an opening for influence in Western Europe
what did the USA do to achieve stability?
the Marshall Plan was offered to all European states, including the Soviet Union
what did the Soviet Union see the Marshall Plan as?
a clear example of American economic imperialism
what did they believe that this US influence might start to do?
spread into Eastern Europe and undermine their sphere of influence and their security
