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Marshall Plan Effect

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The Marshall Plan: Soft Power and Its Effect On Post-War Europe On the 2nd of December 1945 the second world war of the century comes to a close, leaving Europe weary, broken and in search of a way to rise from the ashes. Britain, a former world superpower, lies amidst an economic crisis. Germany, the war’s aggressor, is left to pay billions of dollars in reparations and its industry is dismantled. France, with the German’s quick bypass of the Maginot Line, is left humiliated over its military blunders and quick surrender. Not to mention nearly all occupied countries being left with weak puppet governments unable to handle civilian unrest. In light of the perilous situation in Europe, two new world superpowers emerge. The USSR, the Red Giant …show more content…

American government officials, refusing to stand idle, scramble to find a solution to their growing communist counterpart’s creeping influence on the world. On June 5, 1947, George Marshall, the American Secretary of State under President Truman, announced what was to become known as the European Recovery Program (ERP) or more commonly, the Marshall Plan. This plan was not only the blow that incapacitated the greedy hands of the Soviet Communist effect in Europe, but also one of the greatest and most successful examples of ‘soft power’ and the influence it has to change the course of history without the use of military might. The term ‘soft power’ was coined towards the end of the 20th century by Joseph S. Nye, an acclaimed political scientist and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. According to Nye, one’s capability of driving an agenda could be done through coercion, threats and force, a representation of ‘hard power’, or as a result of attraction, desirability and likableness, all of which are examples of ‘soft power’. As mentioned by the historian Edward Carr, power of opinion is not less persuasive than brute military force and economic …show more content…

In fact this form of diplomacy has been used throughout history. Consider the Hellenistic influence of states in the Levant during the fourth and third century BCE through Alexander the Great’s conquests, or the British’s influence over colonial lands through culture and sport in the 19th century. ‘Soft power’ has been playing a powerful role in impacting and ultimately controlling peoples and cultures with public diplomacy at its core. One of the key elements of ‘soft power’ is the ability to change the psyche of the public in the target country, thereby gaining favorable opinion and ultimately causing the people to push the agenda and affect their own government policy. The Marshall Plan, using the idea of ‘soft power’ as its driving theory, was the American solution to an ever so delicate situation that had the potential to change the balance of political influence in the world. The European Recovery Program was suggested as a way to rebuild Europe without relying on the reparations of the defeated German people, as was tried at the end of the First World War yet failed miserably. The act was focused on using American money and influences to repair the crushed continent while demanding trade options solely with the American market to boost the American economy. This plan was presented to all European countries, the USSR included, and was formally accepted by sixteen of them. So as not to advance the American influence behind the walls of

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At the end of the Second World War, the European economy was devastated and the continent was in despair, and there was no political or economic stability in the region. Secretary Marshall believed that a politically stable and an economically strong Europe could serve the best interests of the United States. In June of 1947, Marshall revealed his mega plan for his European economic recovery program, also known as the “Marshall Plan”, which would, modernize industry, boost trade and make Europe prosperous continent again. The plan was a big success that laid the framework for a rebuilding of war ruined Europe and the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Marshall was not only dedicated to building a strong defense to safeguard the freedom and security of our nation, but also determined to find peaceful solutions to world conflicts.

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As a former Vice President, Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Commerce, Henry A. Wallace, a strong proponent of the New Deal and advocate of a more lenient Soviet Union policy which ultimately became controversial within the Democratic Party. Although Wallace’s criticism of President Harry S. Truman’s resulted in his dismissal, he nevertheless, actively voiced his criticisms during the Cold War. In “The Path to Peace with Russia,” Wallace criticized America’s foreign policy, while asking to judge the Soviet Union interests against those of the United States. Henry believed the United States involvement in the reconstruction of the Soviet Union could have helped the economies of both countries only if the mentality of international affairs could have been shifted. Wallace’s private letter, primarily to influence President Trumans’ thinking was achieved by creating a world where the United States was without their air bases, weapons and the atomic bomb and a Soviet Union who had “[created] a level of armed strength far exceeding anything in their previous history.”

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The United States of America does not live up to its standards if they do not help others in need. According to the National Archives, “Over the next four years, Congress appropriated $13.3 billion for European recovery. This aid provided much needed capital and materials that enabled Europeans to rebuild the continent’s economy” (National Archives). After the war, Congress’s money helped Europe recover, putting them back in a stable position. Clearly, Harry S. Truman's decisive leadership can be seen through his advocacy and successful implementation of the Marshall Plan.

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Source A presents the American response to the Marshall Plan, including the motivation for its creation being to revive a working economy in the world to prevent chaos, loss of peace and an unbalanced economy. Source B then presents the Soviet response to the Marshall Plan, suggesting that it was a clear threat to its influence in Eastern Europe and it was an attempt to spread their economic and political control. Clearly the superpowers had totally different responses to the creation of the Marshall Plan, and the sources express these responses from both sides in great

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A pact with sixteen Western nations, this initiative laid the groundwork for what would later become the European Union. The goals were quite simple: promote cooperation between countries and recovery programs among member states, reduce economic barriers to trade and expansion, and look into the possibility of creating a customs union (free trade area). As a founding member, Germany (and the United States occupying government) was able to play a role in the policies and agreements made. America was in a position of power, and by creating favorable trade conditions, negotiators essentially primed the European market for American goods when Europe ultimately recovered. The OEEC was driven by the Marshall Plan, an economic recovery program that benefited all of Western Europe.

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The Soviet Union began demanding adjustments to its relations and control over Turkey, as well as Iran. Though Stalin backed down at the threat of U.S. Naval forces, his actions led to the containment policy. This policy is used to prevent the spread of communism. Later, in 1947, the United States took over the responsibility of providing economic aid to Turkey and Greece and announced that they would be helping the nations affected by Communism. The Marshall Plan was put into effect later that year and it offered reconstruction aid to much of Europe.

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Is the US hegemon in decline? Is there a power shift in the making? In order to answer these questions, it is important to define the concept of power. There are two types, hard and soft power, both of which play an important role in determining the sovereignty of a state. Hard power may be seen as coercive and based on tangible resources, for example economic power or the military.

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We can negosiate and discuss the problem peaceful without killing each other. In politics, we learn about the natural power, there are soft power and hard power. We can use both of them, because it related each other. Hard power—the ability to coerce—grows out of a country 's military or economic. Soft power lies in the ability to attract and persuade and arises from the attractiveness of a country 's culture, political ideals, and policies .

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The Marshall Plan announced on June 5th, 1947, was a crucial event in which the United States placed the Soviet Union into an extremely difficult situation after the war’s end. It consisted of the U.S.A providing economic aid to Europe with over $13.7 billion worth of help being given through a joint economic programme. This was a controversial event in which British Prime Minister Winston Churchill stated to be “one of the most unsordid acts of history”. However Andrei Vyshinsky, Soviet spokesman and politician, contrastingly used this American programme as evidence of ‘an attempt to split Europe’ , and a deliberate act by the United States to undermine the Soviet influence within Europe. The Marshall Plan attempted to extend American economic

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