The European Defense Community

In 1915 it was a common belief that World War II had just been fought to successful completion. The German and Japanese Empires were vanquished, with Germany destroyed more thoroughly than any of the co un tries she had occupied. The two large remaining powers, the United States and the Soviet Union, seemed to be working together for the common good of the whole world. They had even agreed to participate in the United Nations Organization, which, as a matter of fact, they had been prominently associated with since the earliest negotiations. Now universal peace, and maybe the Millennium, would be the order of the day. But Europe was utterly exhausted, her population decimated, and her industries destroyed. The states men of Western Europe set themselves up to rebuild their countries, both physically and morally. Generously, the United States furnished money and supplies to start the reconstruction. U.N.R.R.A., loan s, and Marshal aid were designed to accomplish this task. On the political front the collaborators, Nazis and Quislings drew long prison sentences, and faced the firing squad. The hangman\u27s noose was used extensively in the liberated Eastern Europe, which the Soviet Armies were occupying, or where Soviet troops were maintained to guard communication lines to Germany and Austria