The restoration of Western Europe after WW2 (Essay Sample)

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The restoration of Western Europe after WW2
World War II was much bloodier and more brutal than World War I as it caused the death of about 60 million soldiers as well as civilians. Many villages, cities and towns in every part of Europe were destroyed by heavy artillery and aerial bombing, which led to the displacement of people from their homes. The World War II did not only destroy cities and homes and displaced people, but also led to the imbalance of influence among the great powers in Europe. The great powers included Germany, United Kingdom and France. The only great powers that existed after the war were the Soviet Union and the United States. Countries in the Western Europe realized that they were weak compared to these new great powers that emerged at the end of the war. In addition, most of the Europeans believed that the civilization in their continent was doomed. The big question was how peace could be guaranteed and how the Western Europe could be restored.
Several factors would enable the restoration and rebuilding of the countries in the Western Europe. One of the major factors was the role of America in providing economic help as well as effective and innovative leadership. United States used the Marshall plan to provide USD 2.5 billion for economic assistance to various countries in the Western Europe. In addition, the US, through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), provided security for the Western Europe countries against further USSR expansion to the west. Another major factor that would lead to the recovery of the destroyed countries was the determination portrayed by different people hailing from different nations in the Western Europe. Actually, the people were focused and determined in reinventing the governments of their countries as well as the social system in a manner that they believed would rebuild their societies even better than before.
After the American economic aid kicked-off, most people supported the social changes that were taking place in their countries. While governments became devoted to rebuild and improve the economic situation of their nations, people became more willing to work for low wages with the idea that they were working to rebuild the nation for a better future for themselves and, most importantly, for the next generation to come. In response to the demand for consumer goods, countries decided to free trade at a common market that would allow consumers to access goods freely and at a fair or cheaper price. This also contributed to the turn-around of the condition of Western Europe after the war.
The Marshall plan enabled the conflicting powers in Europe to unite and wo...