USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall, who laid out the Marshall Plan, believed that the stability of European governments depended on the economic stability of the people. By the time the Marshall Plan ended, in 1951, all the countries who received aid saw their economies grow to better than prewar levels.

Detailed explanation-2: -This aid provided much needed capital and materials that enabled Europeans to rebuild the continent’s economy. For the United States, the Marshall Plan provided markets for American goods, created reliable trading partners, and supported the development of stable democratic governments in Western Europe.

Detailed explanation-3: -The largest recipient of Marshall Plan money was the United Kingdom (receiving about 26% of the total). The next highest contributions went to France (18%) and West Germany (11%). Some eighteen European countries received Plan benefits.

Detailed explanation-4: -Historians have generally agreed that the Marshall Plan contributed to reviving the Western European economies by controlling inflation, reviving trade and restoring production. It also helped rebuild infrastructure through the local currency counterpart funds.