Michaela Hoenicke-Moore

The European Recovery Program (ERP) had its origins in American Cold War policy and at the same time lay at the heart of what has aptly been called empire by invitation, the Europeans’ urgent request that the United States assume a leading role in the postwar reconstruction and integration of Western Europe. Together with an unprecedented and unsurpassed $ 14 billion in US foreign aid for sixteen European countries came a wealth of exchange and training programs for young European academics, politicians, business and labor leaders. My brief remarks will focus on American underlying motivations of the ERP as well as its results for Europe.