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Video: Marshall v. Congress

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This is a clip from the award winning PBS documentary, The Marshall Plan: Against The Odds with the aprroval of the George C. Marshall International Center.
Video Summary:
Background:
After Marshall gave the speech that turned the world upside down at Harvard, (click here for more information on the speech at Harvard) the Europeans agreed and send invitations to The Paris Convention. Surprisingly, the Soviet Union sent a large delegate to the convention. However after learning that the US was planning to contain Communism, the Soviet Union delegate walked out on the delegation. A second Paris Convention was held without the presence of the Soviet Union. After creating a European Organization and deciding on an amount that Europe needed for the next four years, an amount somewhere between 12 billion to 15 billion, it was now upto Marshall's turn to convince congress just like he has convinced so many Americans by travelling and making speeches around the country to endorse the Marshall Plan.

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Short Summary:
George C. Marshall takes the ECA(Economic Cooperation Administration) more commonly known as the Marshall Plan, to congress for approval. It is a tough program, and would be a strain on Americans, but America is the only country with the economic power to carry out such a help program. With increasing communism activities in Europe, congress signed the bill 10 months after Marshall enunciated it at Harvard. This program is independant from the state's department.

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Interpretation:
After the European organize and initiated the program, it is now the Americans and Secretary of State, George C. Marshall turns to see the program through. Marshall had just finish his round the country speeches to convince the American people that the Marshall Plan was in their benefit, and the benefit of humanity, and humanitarism. It is now to take his spot in front of congress and convince the conservative, republican controled congress, who's motto was, "Balance the budget, lower taxes."
This program will cost billion of dollars, and put a strain on the American people. It will require sacrifices today in order to assure security and peace tommorow. The Soviet Union and the Communist party have devoted themselves to stop the program.
But why does America have to taken such a hard burden. The answer is simple, the US is the only country in the world with the economic power to provide to provide for such program.
Czech foreign minister Don Masarek, a long time friend of the US fell or was pushed to his death. What was a democratic government was replaced by Communist personel loyal to Moscow. Masarek death assured the passing of the Marshall Plan by congress.
In april, 1948, ten months after Marshall give the speech at Harvard, President Truman signed the Economic Cooperation Administration, or more commonly known as the Marshall Plan.

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Summarized, Interpreted and Background by: Lan Doan