The Marshall plan was named after George C. Marshall, Truman's secretary of state. At the end of World War II, the European nations were devastated. Their economies were in shambles; they could not even supply enough food to feed their own people.

The Marshall Plan was an attempt to ensure that the economies of Europe would rise again from the ashes of the war. The $16 billion aid package helped Western Europe begin the process of rebuilding. Truman wanted to make sure that these nations would not be forced to turn to war or communism to provide for their starving people. It is considered one of the most successful aid projects in U.S. history.