A redo of my blog entry of a year ago. The Marshall Plan ( http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/marshallplan/holden.htm) is another of my favorite rants and raves. “The most unsordid act in history”. Churchill. Added some videos and pictures to last year's post.
According to my Yahoo home page and the link to Britannica's “This Day in History”, On this day in 1948, U.S. President Harry S. Truman signed into law George C. Marshall's post World War II plan to revive the economies of western and southern European countries so as to foster democracy in the region.” The birth of the Marshall Plan.
Truman is one of my heroes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_S._Truman). It used to be (they are redoing it) that when you go to the American History Museum, you could vote for your favorite President. I always voted for Harry. The end of WWII, the atom bomb, integration of the Armed Forces, the United Nations, the Cold War (which we won), the Berlin Airlift, doing what he thought best despite political pressures, lots of momentous decisions. “The buck stops here.” But most of all, the Marshall Plan.
And another of the things that defines our world, the differences between the end of World War I (The War to End All Wars) and the end of WWII. In a lot of aspects, WWI did not end, it just continued on to erupt twenty years later. The end of WWI in the Treaty of Versailles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Versailles) and, for the Germans, the train car in Compeigne Forest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compi%C3%A8gne_Forest) was a 19th Century dinosaur used to get revenge in a 20th Century civilization. It did not work.
It has been fifty years and WWII seems to be pretty well settled. President Truman and General Marshall seem to have gotten it right. They may have had fighting Communism as one of their motives but they ended up making the best (lasting peace) of a bad situation (a horrible and devastating war – 70 nations involved and 71 million deaths - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II).
I was born in 1936 and I remember it all. How many folks of the generations born after WWII know of this momentous undertaking that has affected their lives so much? How many citizens of those countries that we poured so much of our treasure into know of all of this?
by Anexplorer (PM , CC ) on Friday April 4, 2008 @ 8:37 AM
sinann - Thank you for posting about a WW11 history that provides a much needed perspective for today's conflicts. I also remember it all. Had the U.S. not stayed the course, our younger generations would not be enjoying the freedoms we have now.
by Curious (PM , CC ) on Friday April 4, 2008 @ 9:28 AM
Thanks, Explorer. He also said "We are all worms. But I believe that I am a glow-worm." Never was one to hide his light under a bushel. Saved the world.
by sinann (PM , CC ) on Friday April 4, 2008 @ 10:26 AM
Right, Curious, stayed the course. The only nation in the history of the world to fight and win a two ocean war. Rosie the riveter. And to do what Hitler and Napoleon could not, win a two front war. But then we were not the aggressors amd God was on our side.
by sinann (PM , CC ) on Friday April 4, 2008 @ 11:36 AM
sinann:
Coming from an unpromising background, President Truman proved that he had the judgment and character to lead the US and the world during a difficult time.
Maybe it is my generation. My Dad was a dyed in the wool Republican and he will come back to haunt me but I always liked Give-em-Hell Harry. Like I said, in my book he is up there with Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln, TR.
Many Blogstream members are there
already! Quotes from members: "It's like blog lite!" -- "I like the instant
gratification!" -- "Stop spectating, get in the game!"
If you have not joined in, you are really missing out!
That Churchill knew his way around a memorable phrase!
And yes the Marshall Plan was a brilliant act of generosity that, arguably created the modern age.
Thank you for posting about a WW11 history that provides a much needed perspective for today's conflicts.
I also remember it all.
Had the U.S. not stayed the course, our younger generations would not be enjoying the freedoms we have now.
Coming from an unpromising background, President Truman proved that he had the judgment and character to lead the US and the world during a difficult time.