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Difficulty: MediumOrigins of the Cold War and Containment

Source: Secretary of State George C. Marshall, Address at Harvard University, June 5, 1947

"Aside from the demoralizing effect on the world at large and the possibilities of disturbances arising as a result of the desperation of the people concerned, the consequences to the economy of the United States should be apparent to all. It is logical that the United States should do whatever it is able to do to assist in the return of normal economic health in the world, without which there can be no political stability and no assured peace."

Which of the following foreign policy actions was most directly motivated by the concerns expressed in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The withdrawal of financial commitments to return to strict unilateral isolationism.
  2. B
    The deployment of combat troops to contain communist expansion in East Asia.
  3. The establishment of a multi-billion-dollar economic aid program to rebuild war-torn European nations.Answer
  4. D
    The adoption of a preemptive strike doctrine targeting non-state actors.

Answer

The establishment of a multi-billion-dollar economic aid program to rebuild war-torn European nations.
The correct answer, which describes the establishment of an economic aid program to rebuild European nations, is correct because George C. Marshall's address outlined the principles of the European Recovery Program (the Marshall Plan). The program was designed to prevent political instability and communist expansion by providing financial assistance to reconstruct war-torn European economies.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context and author of the source material.
The excerpt is from Secretary of State George C. Marshall's speech in June 1947, highlighting post-World War II economic devastation in Europe and its threat to international stability.
Identifying the author and time period places the document within the context of early Cold War policy development.
2
Identify the primary concern and proposed solution in the text.
The text argues that U.S. economic assistance is necessary to restore Europe's normal economic health, which is essential for political stability and peace.
This shows that the motivation of the policy was economic stabilization as a means to prevent political chaos and the rise of communism.
3
Correlate the proposed solution with historical outcomes of the period.
The proposal directly resulted in the European Recovery Program (the Marshall Plan), a massive economic aid package to rebuild Western Europe.
Connecting the ideas in the text to their historical application yields the correct development.

Key Concept

The use of economic assistance (the Marshall Plan) as a containment tool in early Cold War foreign policy.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Origins of the Cold War and Containment

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