Was the Marshall Plan Really Successful?

When the war ended, the vast majority of Europe was in ruins. Buildings crumbled to the ground, only shadows of what they once were. It wasn’t just the buildings and infrastructure that had been destroyed, but the economies of Europe, and the hearts and minds of the people. It was important that measures be taken to rebuild the great cities of Europe, and the citizens who had been terrorized by the war at their door steps. There were several efforts to restore Europe to its post-war potential. One of which was the more well known plan, the Marshall Plan. The Marshall Plan was conceived by the Americans in order to aid Western Europe in reconstruction of the infrastructure of their countries. There were several goals of the United States in creating this relief plan to include rebuild war ruined areas, remove any trade barriers between any countries, modernize the industry of European countries in order boost their economies and make European countries economic powers again, and to prevent the spread of communism from Eastern Europe post war.
Interestingly enough, according to V De Grazia’s Irresistable Empire-America’s Advance Through Twentieth Century Europe, “[a]ll told, the actual sums expended in Europe in the form of credits, grants, and supplies are now regarded as small with respect to indigenous investment, representing perhaps 5 percent of the total capital formation during the years of recovery down to 1950.” Americans at the time thought they were being extremely generous by providing this aid to the broken countries of Western Europe. It can be argued that Americans created the Marshall Plan represented their altruism. In theory, the Marshall Plan opened up new trading countries and a whole new market for the Americas that not only aided in boosting Europe’s economy, but also the American economy. People argue this prevented America from slipping into a post war depression.
Was the Marshall Plan successful? According to C De Grazia, “[t]hough often regarded as the starting point for western Europe’s post-war boom, the Marshall Plan was not at all conceived to create a consumer’s Europe.” Ultimately, the Marshall Plan was meant to address the American dollar shortage so there wasn’t a standstill in reconstruction efforts. It was successful in this way. It was also successful in blocking Soviet expansion, and establishing new, strong Western European governments.