Aberlour10 Posted September 10, 2010 Report Share Posted September 10, 2010 Some thougts about the ERP >> Marshall Plan...Surely, most of the Europeans appreciated this help from the USA and are thankful for it till today., but this was by far not a charity enterprise. The benefits for the USA were in economical and political regards enormous... -the war was over,the over-capacities in the american industries could bring the sitiuation similar to this one like in the 30's, ERP helped to boost exports, to establish the strong position of the US companies in the european markets, this has effects till today. -political cool calculated, ERP stammed the influance of the communists in the to this time very unstable Europe, espacially in Italy and France, no doubt a mile stone in the geopolitical strategy of the USA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenberg Posted September 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2010 Some thougts about the ERP >> Marshall Plan...Surely, most of the Europeans appreciated this help from the USA and are thankful for it till today., but this was by far not a charity enterprise. The benefits for the USA were in economical and political regards enormous... -the war was over,the over-capacities in the american industries could bring the sitiuation similar to this one like in the 30's, ERP helped to boost exports, to establish the strong position of the US companies in the european markets, this has effects till today. -political cool calculated, ERP stammed the influance of the communists in the to this time very unstable Europe, espacially in Italy and France, no doubt a mile stone in the geopolitical strategy of the USA. To me, this seems like the sort of effort that is most likely to be sustainable and successful. Common interests often succeed where appeals to charity and generosity do not. Somalia would be an example, perhaps. Everyone was fine with our efforts in preventing starvation, up until Americans started to die. Then it was "What's in it for us? Nothing? We're outta here". In 1945 we definitely saw a resurgent Europe as being in our interests and had the good sense to invest intelligently in this outcome. Acknowledgment of good judgment seems right in this matter. Eternal gratitude is asking a bit too much, and really is not a good basis on which to build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggwhiz Posted September 13, 2010 Report Share Posted September 13, 2010 Eternal gratitude is not in the cards, nor should it be. I was asked what we thought about Americans (as a Canadian) living in South Africa by some locals and said: Sometimes they are our loud obnoxious cousins and we want to slap them upside the head but at the end of the day, they are family. And we value that connection very much and I'm positive they feel the same way about us at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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