MARSHALL PLAN
The Marshall Plan, also known as the European Recovery Program, was an aid package sent to countries in Europe. It was used to help countries rebuild after World War II and to strengthen democratic governments. The United Kingdom, France, West Germany, and Italy received the most aid. Although not under the Marshall Plan, countries in Asia such as Japan, China, and the Philippines received large amounts of aid. President Truman offered aid to the Soviet Union and its satellites, but Stalin forbade the satellites to accept the aid because he saw the plan as a trick to win Eastern Europe to democracy.
The effect of this is that countries like Japan, France, and Germany that were severely damage from the war got to rebuild and become world powers.
The documents for the the Marshall Plan from the government archives.
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Online exhibit of the Marshall Plan from the Library of Congress.
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