The Marshall Plan Essays - Presidency Of Harry S. Truman

The Marshall Plan Essays - Presidency Of Harry S. Truman The Marshall Plan Although the idea of European integration was an ideal adopted by European intellectuals from the beginning of the twentieth century, the success in the actual launching and development of the project is a achievement that must be attributed to the policy and aid of the United States. World War II left Europe in a state of complete crisis. More than 30 million lives were lost during the war, cities lay in ruins, and as a result of violation of agricultural lands and people, food supply remained dangerously short. After barely surviving the Nazi threat, Europe was now faced with the threat of Soviet communism and expansion. This new threat divided the continent into pro-Western and pro-Soviet spheres, and some started to look towards communism to save them from total destruction and to progress towards rebuilding and restructuring of the post-war economy. European states were trying desperately to mend the damages of the war without having to resort to communist or socialist methods. However, the results lay short of expectations for capital was very limited and shortages of basic resources such as coal and steel restrained production. In addition, in many European countries such as France and Italy, the deterioration of the economy led to serious political problems, such as the undermining of the governmental authority. The only logical choice for Western European states, given that they did not desire to give in socialism or communism, was to get together and cooperate towards recovery. However, the individual aims, plans, and ambitions of major Western European states were keeping them from sacrificing or compromising towards such a cooperation. This is where the United States became an active player. Encouragement and provocation of European integration had been a constant characteristic of American foreign policy in the post-World War II era. The contribution of the United States to the process of European integration within this period, and its positive long-term effects should not be ignored or underestimated. This contribution has manifested itself in many different contexts, such as economic aid and being a model for Europe in terms of institutions and structure. The first official sign of post-war commitment of the United States to Europe was the Truman Doctrine outlined by US President Harry Truman in March 1947. The Truman Doctrine granted military aid to Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean and it acted as the confirmation of the launching of better and stronger political relations between Western Europe and the United States . The same year saw the shift in aid to the economic area. Observing the constantly deteriorating state of European economy, the United States decided to provide Europe with financial assistance. This decision was aimed at helping Europe recover, but had to do with the States' national interests as well. Since Western European economies were lacking the financial means for developed trade with the United States, the US was suffering from a huge export surplus caused by its booming economy. The recovery of European economies and improved trade relations with Europe would mean a significant export outlet f! or the United States . With these considerations in mind, in June 1947, US Secretary of State George Marshall announced the Marshall Plan, generally known as the European Recovery Programme. This was the biggest push from the United States for European integration and provided the greatest help toward integration as well. The Marshall Plan stated that the United States would provide funds for financial assistance if European states devised a cooperative and long-term rebuilding program to recover from the effects of World War II. The Marshall Plan was a success in that it called for those who would benefit from the program to be actively involved in the planning and execution phases. Therefore, knowing that they had significant influence on the outcomes of the program, the beneficiary European states were encouraged to cooperate to the greatest extent with the United States. Between 1948 and 1952, the US supplied $13.2 billion worth of grants and credits to European nations. These funds played a key role in bringing a significant level of economic progress and stability to the benefiting 16 states of Europe. By 1950, inflation was under control in many states and international as

Prepositions with Enamored

Prepositions with Enamored Prepositions with Enamored Prepositions with Enamored By Maeve Maddox A reader is troubled by the use of enamored by instead of enamored of. (British enamoured). It may be because I read a lot of British literature, but the only usage with enamored that sounds â€Å"right† to me is â€Å"enamored of,† as in Titania’s remark when waking from the spell in A Midsummer Night’s Dream: â€Å"Me thought I was enamoured of an Asse.† However, another preposition is acceptable with enamored, but it’s not by; it’s with. Merriam-Webster gives these examples: tourists were enamored of the town a beautiful Indian girl with whom he was enamoredWalter Havighurst The verb enamor may be used transitively, as in â€Å"Rosamond Vincy enamored Dr. Lydgate.† That means that she affected him in such a way as to make him fall in love with her. More usually, enamor is cast in the passive: â€Å"Dr. Lydgate was enamored of Rosamond Vincy.† Here, the meaning is that he was inflamed with love for her. Paul Brians, an English professor at Washington State University offers this helpful mnemonic: If you’re crazy about ferrets, you’re enamored of them. It is less common but still acceptable to say â€Å"enamored with†; but if you say you are enamored by ferrets, you’re saying that ferrets are crazy about you. I’ll offer my own view as to how one might choose between of and with to use with this verb: Use â€Å"enamored of† when speaking of romantic love: â€Å"Marc Antony was enamored of Cleopatra.† Use â€Å"enamored with† when speaking of mere fascination or interest: â€Å"Charlie is enamored with his new iPad.† As for â€Å"enamored by,† remember the ferrets. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Because Of" and "Due To" 8 Types of Parenthetical PhrasesJanuary 1 Doesn't Need an "st"