... requirements are so much greater than her present ability to pay that she must have substantial additional help or face economic, social, and political deterioration of a very grave character." He then suggested the solution: that the European nations themselves set up a program for the reconstruction of Europe, with United States assistance (Ibid). Debate in the U.S. Congress over Marshall Plan legislation took place with opponents arguing that the costs of such a massive program would severely damage the United State's domestic economy (Kindleberger 1987). However, it became apparent that any delay in providing aid to the war-impoverished countries of Europe would put them in danger of Soviet domination (Hogan 1987). On February 25, 1948, a Soviet-backed, communist coup took place in Czechoslovakia. American shock at the coup reduced opposition to the Marshall Plan, and Congress finally approved the bill granting 12.4 billion in aid on April 3 1948, ten ...

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