#233 – Big Stick Diplomacy

During 1947-48, England and France had been working on their own treaty as well as one involving the so-called Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg). That became the basis of discussions about a broader treaty creating a United States of Europe, something many US and European leaders wanted, especially in light of the Marshall Plan. But the path to get there wasn’t clear. Europe was scared of upsetting the Soviets without US guarantees of military support, but the US wasn’t ready to offer that up just yet.

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