Imagine you want to help out a friend, but only if you can see their secrets first! That's what the U.S. did with the Marshall Plan to Europe after WWII. The U.S. offered help, but only if European countries shared their financial secrets. The Soviets? They weren't happy.

• Purpose: To offer immediate economic help to Europe after WWII.

• Key Conditions:

  • U.S. wanted to peek into the financial records of countries asking for aid.
  • This was a big "no-no" for the USSR. They saw it as intrusive.

• Stated Aims of the Marshall Plan: 🎯

  • Bring back European economies to ensure political & social stability.
  • Make sure the U.S. economy remains strong.

• Fun Fact: The U.S. played it cool! They said, "the initiative must come from Europe." It was like telling your friend, "I won't come to your party unless you invite me."

• U.S. Congress approved $17 billion for this plan.
• Key Moment: This only happened in March 1948, after the Czech Coup of February 1948 stirred things up.

• The Soviets gave the Marshall Plan a big thumbs down!
• Why? They didn’t like the idea of showing their financial records to the U.S. It felt intrusive and sneaky.
• What did they call it? "Dollar Imperialism!" They thought the U.S. was trying to control Europe with money, leading to political domination.

Imagine if someone tried to control you with endless gifts, making you dependent on them. Sounds sneaky, right? That's how the Soviets felt!