USA HISTORY

Following World War II, the United States made political alliances and helped to rebuild Japan and many war-torn European countries. What was one reason for these actions?

(A) The United States wanted to take control of those countries in the future.

(B) The United States wanted to prove the United States was the wealthiest nation.

(C) ** The United States wanted to stop the spread of communism to those countries.

(D) The United States wanted to prevent those countries from competing with the United States.

Concept note-1: -President Harry Truman signed the Marshall Plan on April 3, 1948, and aid was distributed to 16 European nations, including Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, West Germany and Norway.

Concept note-2: -On December 19, 1947, President Harry Truman sent Congress a message that followed Marshall’s ideas to provide economic aid to Europe. Congress overwhelmingly passed the Economic Cooperation Act of 1948, and on April 3, 1948, President Truman signed the act that became known as the Marshall Plan.

Concept note-3: -NATO was the first peacetime military alliance the United States entered into outside of the Western Hemisphere. After the destruction of the Second World War, the nations of Europe struggled to rebuild their economies and ensure their security.

Concept note-4: -Fanned by the fear of Communist expansion and the rapid deterioration of European economies in the winter of 1946–1947, Congress passed the Economic Cooperation Act in March 1948 and approved funding that would eventually rise to over $12 billion for the rebuilding of Western Europe.