Reflection Question

Read this background information and answer the questions following each section. You may use your textbooks, Internet or other media sources and references to complete the task. After you answer each question, cite the source where you obtained your information giving the following information: Author or web site, title of article and date of publication or web listing.

After WWII ended, the war-torn nations of Europe faced famine (starvation) and economic crisis. The United States proposed to rebuild the continent in the interest of political stability and a healthy world economy. The foreign ministers of the United States, the United Kingdom, France and the Soviet Union met in Moscow in March and April 1947. They tried to draw up a German peace treaty. The ministers did not cooperate in designing ways to cease the Allies occupation of Germany or unifying Germany. On June 5, 1947, Secretary of State, George C. Marshall first called for American assistance in restoring the economic infrastructure of Europe because he realized that the U.S.S.R. would not cooperate. In fact, The Marshall Plan channeled over $13 billion to finance the economic recovery of Europe. This plan restored the confidence of the European people in the economic future of their own countries. The Allies, not including Russia, known as U.S.S.R., unified the German former war zones they controlled. That part was called West Germany with the Soviet controlled part called East Germany. In September of 1949, Western Germany was eligible for Marshall Plan funding.

At the time the United States saw the plan as being generous to Europe. The Soviet Union viewed it as interference and refused to allow Poland or Czechoslovakia from taking part. Some historians believe that The Marshall Plan was not philanthropic but:

1. Saved the U.S. Economy from backsliding into a depression.
   
2. Allowed the U.S. to remake the European economy in the image of the U.S. economy.
   
3. Created a public organization for private companies.
   

Other historians believe what the U.S. did for the Europeans was true philanthropy because:

1. The U.S. rebuilt European cities.
   
2. The U.S. rebuilt European factories.
   
3. The U.S. provided jobs and income to the European people through the construction of cities and factories.
   
4. The U.S. provided Europeans with goods and services.
   
5. The U.S. provided the Europeans with factories to make goods that they could sell.
   
6. It created a sense of stability and security for the European people.

Write a one page reflection on whether or not you feel that the actions the U.S. took in rebuilding Europe following WWII were philanthropic and site at least two reasons for your conclusion. This paper may be legibly handwritten (or typed) and use Standard English mechanics.

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Adapted from the Unit entitled  Rebuilding the Peace-The United States post World War II. Lesson One: "Governmental Philanthropy- The Marshall Plan," written by Lindy Jury www.learningtogive.org