Question

How would the Marshall Plan prevent the spread of communism in Europe?

Answer 1

The correct answer is: "The countries that received financial aid through the Marshall Plan were less likely to join the Communist Bloc".

The Marshall Plan was an initiative launched by the US in 1948 to help the recovery of Western European countries after WWII. $ 12 billion were sent to rebuild those countries and to boost their economies by rebuilding factories, infrastructures, civil buildings, etc.

The US had adopted the containment strategy, a foreign affairs approach which focused on stopping the spread of communism worldwide. Therefore, rebuilding Western Europe under the influence of the US was beneficial because the Western European powers would side with the US and act as a barrier for containing communism, that was in fact suceeding on the Eastern regions of the continent.

Answer 2

The Marshall Plan provided financial aid on the condition that the United States would act as adviser to the receiving nation's government.
The countries that received financial aid through the Marshall Plan were less likely to join the Communist Bloc.
The Marshall Plan required receiving nations to severely reduce trade with the Soviet Union and its satellite states.
The receiving nations under the Marshall Plan were strongly monitored by the United States and other Western Allies.