What was the aim of the Marshall Plan?

The Marshall Plan, officially known as the European Recovery Program, was aimed primarily at aiding the economic recovery of Western Europe following the devastation of World War II. Introduced by U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall in 1947, the plan provided financial assistance to rebuild European economies, stimulate production, and restore structures that had been destroyed during the war.

By offering significant funding for reconstruction, the U.S. sought to stabilize these economies, thereby preventing political instability and the spread of communism in the region. The economic recovery fostered by the Marshall Plan helped to lay the groundwork for long-term prosperity in Western Europe and established stronger ties between the United States and European nations.

The other options reflect aims that were not aligned with the purpose of the Marshall Plan. For instance, it was not focused on military support to Asian countries, nor did it seek to create a European Union, which was a later development involving political and economic cooperation among European nations. Additionally, the Marshall Plan explicitly aimed to counteract the appeal of socialism and communism through economic stability, rather than promoting socialism itself.