Document Type

Honors Project

First Advisor

Dr. Jason Vuic

Degree Award Date

Spring 2012

Keywords

Marshall Plan, history

Disciplines

History | United States History

Abstract

In this project, I examine how George C. Marshall and his colleagues promoted the Marshall Plan to both Congress and the general public. First, I will access the general goals of the Marshall Plan and how these were presented to Congress. Using a number of historical monologues and congressional testimonies, I analyze the rhetoric Marshall used when promoting his plan. These testimonies provide insight regarding Marshall's persuasiveness and how this allowed him to overcome the partisanship in Congress.

Second, I analyze how Marshall promoted his plan among certain audiences as well as how he used literature to promote the Marshall Plan. Not only do I look at the speeches of Marshall himself, but I also analyze the speeches of his colleagues who also worked tirelessly campaigning for the Marshall Plan. I explain the actions of the Citizens' Committee for the Marshall Plan, a committee formed to promote the Marshall Plan to using speeches and a wide distribution of literature, and played an integral role in garnering support for the Marshall Plan from both Congress and the American public. Lastly, I incorporated how the threat of communism also helped to promote his plan and win over support for it among Americans. I used a variety of sources, both primary and secondary, in my research.

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