What did the Truman administration hope to prevent with the European Recovery Program?
1 Answer
The spread of communism.
Explanation:
Even before World War 2 ended the divisions between the Allies were emerging. A series of wartime Conferences had determined much of the division of Europe but there was still unanswered questions to be resolved.
With the death of FDR, Truman became President. He was much more suspicious of Stalin and his intentions than Roosevelt.
When the war ended Europe was devastated. Eastern Europe was under Soviet control and clear divisions between East and West were emerging.
The Truman administration concluded that economic recovery in Western Europe was essential to re-establish political and social stability. This was particularly the case given the existence of large communist parties in Italy and France.
This economic recovery had to include the emerging West Germany given the importance and central role of the German economy within European economic growth.
Therefore Truman committed to economic recovery in Western Europe including what became West Germany in order to prevent communist movements exploiting the instability which existed in the chaos of post war Europe.
