History_and_Politics

Could USSR implement Marshal Plan instead of USA after 2-nd World War' As an introduction to my thesis at first I want to give brief information about the aim of Marshall Plan that was introduced by USA after 2-nd World War. The aim was to reconstruct destroyed Europe during the 2-nd World War and create strong economic units in Western Europe. But there are also invisible aims that USA considered them necessary according to it’s interests. These were the threat of Communism that had already spread all around Eastern Europe. Communism threat actually was very good pretext for USA in order to interfere to Europe and establish their economic well-being due to it’s consideration. By this plan USA could easily made Europe economically dependent from itself. Europe could not be rebuilt without any aid or support. This support firstly came from USA. By the strengthening Europe USA planned to create “buffer zone” between USSR and USA. The created Communist state in Europe would act due to USSR’s interests as an ally. If the number of Communist states in Europe increased to 3 that meant, USA would lose it’s influence points over Europe. Postwar situation was like that in Europe: Communist parties in France and Italy became very active and popular, unique Germany was separated thus it was opportunity for Communists to root in Eastern Germany. All stated factors above forced USA to implement Marshall Plan. The core question is this: “Could USSR implement such kind of plan in order to prevent possible threats as USA'” I think not, it was impossible for USSR to realize such kind of “Plan” due to 3 reasons after 2-nd World War: economic, social and political. I’m going to explain economic obstacles below that could not let USSR to act as USA. As we know USSR left the 2-nd World War as a winner however the economic growth rate was fully reduced , eco-system infrastructures were destroyed, life conditions were decreased twice (1) with comparison to 1920-th in USSR. These factors could not let USSR to be repaired immediately after war. USSR was agricultural state and industrialization was developing very slowly and USSR was carrying load of war on his shoulders. That is all, most destructive wars had taken place in it’s own territory. All these factors could not let USSR to help or implement “plan” for rebuilt of Europe. Economic capacity of USSR only let him to recover him self. USA had economic capacity to promote Marshall Plan for Europe. USA’s high level industrialization, to stay apart from battle-field due to it’s geographic position, and involving into the 2-nd World War later than other states helped to him stay more powerful than USSR after the war. My second argument is related with social obstacles that USSR faced with after 2-nd World War. As we know Communism was leading in USSR before and after the war. The main idea of Communism was to create-“classless and stateless society”. It was against European nation-statehood and none of the European political leaders was accepting this idea of Communism. European states had common past history, common values and common customary norms that would never let USSR to become familiar with them. Because all efforts of Russia since 17-th till the 19-th century to become closer with Europe let to the wars. For example Russo-Polish War in 1667, Russo-Swedish War in 1721, Russo-Turkish War in 1870 these 3 major wars proves that Russia always had ambitions to become superpower in whole continent. Europe had known USSR’s ambitions through their past background. Thus, Europe didn’t trust to USSR even if USSR had economic potential to realize “plan”. Russians always thought that Europe had to harmonize with Russia but not vice versa. So distrust of Europe to USSR was in high level even after 2-nd World War. For that time the main source of this distrust I think appeared after secret negotiation between Nazi Germany and USSR in 1939 on 24 August: “Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact”. USA after 2-nd World War introduced some innovations to Europe such as democracy, market economy, human rights these features of new life style was more attractive than Communism or despotism. USSR after war needed to be reformed almost in all fields of daily life. Citizens of USSR were proud of winning the Nazi Germany but they were not in favor of living in bad conditions. So USSR government reduced the prices of produced goods within the state till the minimum. (2) It was big harm to state economy and private economy as well. It meant that the social situation of USSR could not give an opportunity for economical aid for destroyed Europe in order to recover it and gain strong ally against it’s rival. My third argument is based on political reason. We know that the aim of USA was to rebuilt economically powerful Europe and get rid of Communism threat. But If USSR would implement such “plan” I think he would not help Europe to be reconstructed economically and USSR would never permit the cooperation of states in Europe between themselves. The cooperation and rapprochement between European states would strengthen whole Europe as a unique rival against USSR. USSR would take it into account that Europe is close neighbor and strong neighbor is more dangerous than distant rival. USA won the confidence of Europe by Marshall Plan so he gained for himself loyal ally on the other coasts of Atlantic Ocean and replaced strong neighbor for it’s rival-USSR. The USSR had gained influences on Eastern Germany but for a short time period. It was not prolonged because USSR could not resist against internal and external factors. As a conclusion I want to mention the reasons of impossibility to realize the “plan” in favor of Europe by USSR: economical, social and political. USSR left war as a victor state but this victory was equal to defeat. Each of these stated factors were introduced in details above, when you will collect all of statements together in your brain after reading you will easily decide “Could USSR implement Marshal Plan instead of USA or not” Sources: (1)- Отечественная история , A.P.Kovalevski-CTP 237-239 (2)- Отечественная история, A.P Kovalevski-CTP-210-211 Additional- http://www.world-war-2.info/facts/