Communist Quote by W. Averell Harriman
“It never occurred to me that we would have as grandiose a program as the Marshall Plan, but I felt that we had to do something to save Europe from economic disaster which would encourage the Communist takeover.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Marshall Plan Announcement, 1947
The Marshall Plan was a bold economic effort to rebuild Europe and prevent communism, driven by urgency and moral duty.
In simple terms: Rebuilding Europe to stop communism.
Act decisively in crises.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- post‑war Europe
- policy making
- global diplomacy
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What risks did the Marshall Plan face?
- How do we balance urgency with careful planning?
Large programs can be politically contentious and costly.