The Marshall Plan's Three-Point Plan for Europe (1947)

In 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall outlined a three-point strategy to rebuild war-torn Europe, forming the basis of the European Recovery Program (Marshall Plan):

1. Immediate Relief: Emergency aid (food, fuel, raw materials) via grants and loans to stabilize economies and prevent famine.
2. Long-Term Reconstruction: Industrial revival, infrastructure repair, and trade liberalization to restore self-sustaining growth.
3. Political Unity Against Communism: Foster European economic and political cooperation to counter Soviet influence, laying groundwork for institutions like the OEEC and eventually the EU.

Between 1948–1952, the U.S. provided over $13 billion (equivalent to $150+ billion today), catalyzing Western Europe's "economic miracle" and cementing transatlantic ties.