Chapter 32: The Cold War "The Marshall Plan Speech"

Introduction
Students have read that in 1947 Secretary of State George C. Marshall, in a speech delivered at Harvard University, proposed the program that became known as the Marshall Plan. Its purpose, he said, was to restore "the confidence of European people in the economic future of their own countries." To help students learn more about the Marshall Plan, have them read and analyze the entire speech.

Lesson Description
Students will go to The Marshall Plan Speech Web site. They will then answer four questions about what they have read.

Instructional Objectives
1. Students will analyze a primary source.
2. Students will discover more about the purposes of the Marshall Plan

Student Web Activity Answers
1. The enormous complexity of the situation and the fact that Americans were so distant from Europe made it difficult for people to comprehend the plan.
2. The focus on preparation for and maintenance of the war effort led to a loss of capital, a long neglect of machinery and industry in general, and a breakdown in the economies of European nations.
3. With no use for the money gained by the sale of produce, farmers withdrew many fields from cultivation, using them instead for grazing.
4. Students' answers will vary but should include references to humanitarian feelings as well as to advantages to the economy of both the United States and the world.

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