Us Policy of Marshall Based on Altruistic Desire to Help the Economic Recovery of Europe
- Submitted by: jdawson
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- Category: History
- Date Submitted: 10/01/2011 07:14 AM
- Pages: 9
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Using these four passages and your own knowledge, assess the view that the US policy of Marshall in 1947 was motivated mainly by the altruistic desire to help the economic recovery of Europe.
Interpretation A presents a sympathetic view to the USSR’s claim that the Marshall Plan was not the altruistic aim to reignite Europe’s economy that it seemed, it was in fact the imperialistic idea to spread capitalism through Europe and prevent the rise of communism. He supports this view when he states that “A main objective of the Marshall Plan had been to win the mouths and minds of the West European peoples so as to prevent them from turning communist”. Ever since World War Two the USSR and the USA had had a fragile relationship, mainly stemming from the delayed eventuality of the allies opening a second front to fight Nazi Germany, this poor relationship continued after the war with opposing views in communism and capitalism and how much influence they should have in Europe.
The USA saw Russia as the next major threat to world peace which seemed to be true with the inevitability of the Cold War. The writer of Interpretation A, Michael Balfour, agrees with this statement as he believes that the only way the USA could defeat communism was with strong allies. Balfour argues that the Marshall plan had US military interests in mind by stating the plans intention was to “enable Britain and France to resume their roles as Great Powers and provide armies which would be strong enough, especially when backed by American atomic weapons, to recover the position which had been lost between 1944 and 1947”. This clearly suggests it wasn’t an altruistic act, and was in fact motivated by political aims.
Word Count – 287 (excluding Title)
Word Count – 287 (excluding Title)
Balfour also argues that America was simply trying to preserve Western capitalism which had been on the brink of collapse and also capture additional trade markets and avoid depression. Interpretation D...
Interpretation A presents a sympathetic view to the USSR’s claim that the Marshall Plan was not the altruistic aim to reignite Europe’s economy that it seemed, it was in fact the imperialistic idea to spread capitalism through Europe and prevent the rise of communism. He supports this view when he states that “A main objective of the Marshall Plan had been to win the mouths and minds of the West European peoples so as to prevent them from turning communist”. Ever since World War Two the USSR and the USA had had a fragile relationship, mainly stemming from the delayed eventuality of the allies opening a second front to fight Nazi Germany, this poor relationship continued after the war with opposing views in communism and capitalism and how much influence they should have in Europe.
The USA saw Russia as the next major threat to world peace which seemed to be true with the inevitability of the Cold War. The writer of Interpretation A, Michael Balfour, agrees with this statement as he believes that the only way the USA could defeat communism was with strong allies. Balfour argues that the Marshall plan had US military interests in mind by stating the plans intention was to “enable Britain and France to resume their roles as Great Powers and provide armies which would be strong enough, especially when backed by American atomic weapons, to recover the position which had been lost between 1944 and 1947”. This clearly suggests it wasn’t an altruistic act, and was in fact motivated by political aims.
Word Count – 287 (excluding Title)
Word Count – 287 (excluding Title)
Balfour also argues that America was simply trying to preserve Western capitalism which had been on the brink of collapse and also capture additional trade markets and avoid depression. Interpretation D...