German Recovery

After WWII, Europe emerged with its economy in shambles. Quality of life in Europe was abysmal, and the threat of Communist takeover from the Soviet Union grew stronger with every passing day. The U.S. emerged in fair conditions; however, for the sake of the U.S.’s economy and national security, the U.S. decided that it could not allow Europe to fall into Communist hands. Thus, the U.S. implemented the European Recovery Program, now called the Marshall Plan, to rebuild and reestablish Europe in the world, both politically and economically. At times, countries, especially Britain and France, maneuvered to protect their own national interests, moving towards directions and goals that were different from the U.S.’s. However, eventual compromises

To achieve this, first, the U.S. would begin economic recovery and integration within Europe. The U.S. believed that an integrated Europe would create an international trading market, accelerating recovery and undermining Communist attempts at influencing a weakened Europe. Second, the U.S. would encourage German recovery and integration into Europe so that it could be harnessed as an anti-Communist front. Because of Germany's geographic position and industrial and military strength, Germany could be utilized to further the wedge between Europe and Communism that would be created by European recovery, protecting Europe and allowing for it to rebuild itself as a powerful international

France contended that this could create a powerful, possibly communist, Germany, which the French feared more than an independent Germany. A recovered Germany could also potentially ruin a recovering France’s economy through competing industrial output. To France, security against Germany was the priority. For this, they insisted that any German recovery would have to be controlled by the French themselves. If there was no independent Germany, there would be no danger of a German power.

However, unless France could make peace with Germany, they risked impeding recovery and allowing Communist invasion - things that the U.S. vehemently opposed. As such, the U.S. could not wait for France to change; thus, after many compromises to ensure France´s safety, the French joined the U.S. and Britain to form the trizone, which would eventually become the Republic of Germany.

Leading the