The real lesson of the Marshall Plan
Once again, it’s the time of year for World War II nostalgia. Today is the 63rd anniversary of D-Day, and yesterday marked the 60th anniversary of the watershed speech given by then U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall outlining what would come to be known as the Marshall Plan. Often credited with resurrecting Europe ...
Once again, it's the time of year for World War II nostalgia. Today is the 63rd anniversary of D-Day, and yesterday marked the 60th anniversary of the watershed speech given by then U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall outlining what would come to be known as the Marshall Plan. Often credited with resurrecting Europe after World War II as well as holding off the advance of Soviet influence across the continent, the Marshall Plan was a massive, sustained effort by the United States to fund the economic and political reconstruction of western Europe.
Once again, it’s the time of year for World War II nostalgia. Today is the 63rd anniversary of D-Day, and yesterday marked the 60th anniversary of the watershed speech given by then U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall outlining what would come to be known as the Marshall Plan. Often credited with resurrecting Europe after World War II as well as holding off the advance of Soviet influence across the continent, the Marshall Plan was a massive, sustained effort by the United States to fund the economic and political reconstruction of western Europe.
Given the bit of trouble the United States is having with reconstruction efforts today, it is worth looking back at what Winston Churchill once hailed as “The most unsordid act in history.”
The George C. Marshall Foundation, in commemoration of the anniversary, has published a monograph by retired professor Barry Machado entitled In Search of a Usable Past: The Marshall Plan and Postwar Reconstruction Today. The book, thankfully, doesn’t try to draw parallels between 1947 Europe and the present situation in Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead, Machado looks for the broad lessons of the Marshall Plan that can be applied to other reconstruction scenarios. Most notably, he recasts the Marshall Plan not as an attempt to rebuild Europe in the image of the United States, but as a flexible effort that allowed individual states to determine their own needs and goals. It’s a lesson from Marshall that’s worth remembering.
More from Foreign Policy
At Long Last, the Foreign Service Gets the Netflix Treatment
Keri Russell gets Drexel furniture but no Senate confirmation hearing.
How Macron Is Blocking EU Strategy on Russia and China
As a strategic consensus emerges in Europe, France is in the way.
What the Bush-Obama China Memos Reveal
Newly declassified documents contain important lessons for U.S. China policy.
Russia’s Boom Business Goes Bust
Moscow’s arms exports have fallen to levels not seen since the Soviet Union’s collapse.
Sign up for World Brief
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
