How was the United States' policy of containment related to the Marshall Plan?
1 Answer
It equated economic recovery and well being with political stability.
Explanation:
At the end of World War 2, the USA and USSR emerged as the dominant superpowers. In Europe very quickly there was a division between East and West, dominated by the USSR and USA respectively.
From a Western perspective, The Soviets were as aggressive and threatening. The Red Army occupied Eastern Europe and these countries had communist regimes imposed upon them.
The fear was that communism would succeed in the West. For example, both France and Italy had large and powerful communist parties.
The assumption was that if Western Europe was to resist communism then economic recovery was essential as revolutionary movements thrived in times of crises.
The Marshall Plan sought to provide the economic support necessary for Europe to rebuild its war shattered economies, thereby providing political stability which would forestall a move to revolution. Communism therefore would be contained.
