The Marshall Plan: Dawn of the Cold War

Translated to Russian by O. Levchenko; under the scientific editing by A. Berezina and Yu. Vakulenko. – Moscow: Gaidar Institute Press, 2023. – 576 p.

ISBN 978-5-93255-643-6

With the collapse of the British Empire and the strengthening of Stalin's empire, the American administration (represented by the new Secretary of State George C. Marshall and his staff) undertook a difficult task: to restore Western Europe as a bulwark against communist authoritarianism. Such a large-scale, expensive and ambitious undertaking forced both Europeans and Americans to make a choice that contradicted all established historical traditions and self-esteem. The process that unfolded as a result contributed to the emergence of NATO, the European Union and Western identity – factors that continue to determine the current development of the most important international events.

"The Marshall Plan: At the Dawn of the Cold War" leads a detailed and fascinating narrative about the events of 1947–1949 in Europe. Steele introduces us to the unique episodes that marked the collapse of post-war American-Soviet relations: the coup in Prague, the blockade of Berlin, the partition of Germany. Each episode vividly describes Stalin's determination to thwart the Marshall Plan and deprive the Americans of a foothold in Europe. In a fascinating epilogue, the author demonstrates how the geopolitical forces that tore Europe in two after the Second World War restored their former influence with the collapse of the USSR.