Teamwork : Europe's economic recovery 1945-1952

The Marshall Plan and its associated organizations - the Organization for European Cooperation (OEEC) and the US Economic Cooperation Administration (ECA) - saved Europe from economic and political collapse between 1948 and 1952. This was one of the quickest, most efficient rescue of an entire continent, orchestrated by an international organization and a US agency. Two very different teams cooperated in an increasingly successful fashion toward a common goal. Eighteen-nation OEEC delegates progressively moved away from their individual national foci to embrace the long-term interest of Europe. The ECA members, whose role was to ensure proper use of the Marshall funds, ended up being also skillful coaches for their less experienced OEEC colleagues. As divided as Europe was in 1945, it had been possible, with the right objectives, the right organizations and carefully chosen men, to get the victors and vanquished to rebuild together their devastated economies quickly and efficiently. No reason this exploit could not be achieved again, even in today's polarized world.--Provided by publisher