Marshall Plan

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The Marshall Plan, officially the European Recovery Programme, was an American financial aid plan whereby the United States gave economic support to European states after the Second World War in order to rebuild their economies and prevent the spread of Soviet Communism. Beginning in April 1948, the plan was in operation for four years. The initiative was named after US Secretary of State at the time, General Marshall, who pointed out the need for such financial support to Europe in June 1947 at an address to Harvard University. The Soviet Union and its allies did not accept such help as to do so would have meant allowing the US control over Communist economies.

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