HISTORY
THE COLD WAR ERA
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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strengthen Western European nations against communism
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assist soldiers returning to civilian life
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help Japan rebuild damage caused by the atomic bombs
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raise the standard of living in Asia and Africa
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Detailed explanation-1: -On April 3, 1948, President Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1948. It became known as the Marshall Plan, named for Secretary of State George Marshall, who in 1947 proposed that the United States provide economic assistance to restore the economic infrastructure of postwar Europe.
Detailed explanation-2: -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.
Detailed explanation-3: -Furthermore, it is unlikely that the U.S. Congress would have been willing to fund the plan as generously as it did if aid also went to Soviet Bloc Communist nations. Thus the Marshall Plan was applied solely to Western Europe, precluding any measure of Soviet Bloc cooperation.
Detailed explanation-4: -Under Paul G. Hoffman, the Economic Cooperation Administration (ECA), a specially created bureau, distributed over the next four years some $13 billion worth of economic aid, helping to restore industrial and agricultural production, establish financial stability, and expand trade.