to produce steel but not so much that steel became their key to economic recovery.A leading factor in the rescue of France and Germany from their crumbling economies, along with the rest of Western Europe, was the help of America through the Marshall Plan of 1948. The Marshall Plan, although extremely beneficial to Europe, was not an altruistic act or a moral endeavor. The United States realized that without their help Europe would continue to suffer and their suffering would be harmful to America both economically and politically. The United States was already suffering from lack of open trade in Western Europe and they feared that the poor earnings of workers would lead them to elect communists into Government in hopes of improvement. Realizing the imposing danger, America proposed the Marshall Plan.Perhaps the most important aspect of French and German recovery, as well as the recovery of the rest of Western Europe was the success of international trade policies, spurred by the Marshall Plan, but developed within Europe. One reason that the issue of trade was so important was because of the interdependence of the recovering nations and the common conditions that they were experiencing. The majority of Western Europe suffered from decreased trade, fears of inflation, and hopes for improved standard of living. By working somewhat together, and allowing less restrictive trade policies, France, Germany, and other nations were able to increase both imports and exports, allowing for greater productivity. One of the most substantial improvements in the international trade in Western Europe after World War II came in 1949 when nations began to trust the system of multilateral payments, allowing a greater flow of trade between countries. ...
