apr 3, 1948 - Marshall Aid

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In some Western European countries, for example France and Italy, the desperate economic circumstances after World War Two meant support for communist parties was strong, and there was a possibility that they could win the democratic elections. The USA did not want this to happen. In 1947 President Truman sent General George Marshall to see what could be done to dilute popular support for communism. Marshall recommended spending a lot of money - over $12 billion to be exact. This Marshall Aid would be spent to help the economies of Western Europe to recover after World War Two and make them less likely to be won over by communism. The money was to be offered to all the countries of Europe, not just the West, but Stalin prohibited the countries in his sphere of influence from taking it. There were strings attached to Marshall Aid, and it was conditional on the country allowing free elections and free trade. Stalin was not prepared to permit the Eastern bloc countries to accept such conditions.

Marshall Aid was effectively a propaganda tool, aimed at convincing countries they would be prosperous with American capitalist support. Marshall Aid was strongly linked to the Truman Doctrine and was effectively the economic wing of the USA’s containment policy.

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