The United States decided to maintain a financial relationship with its allies in World War II that was completely different from that it had with its “associates” in World War I. Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act, under which the United States almost always provided its allies with food, fuel, and war material free of charge in exchange for military bases on the territories of allied countries. In fact, the exact opposite of what happened after the Great War occurred: this time, the United States financed reconstruction in Europe with the Marshall Plan, totaling $12 billion (€150 billion today). The plan was also offered to the USSR and Eastern European countries. Czechoslovakia decided to accept, but Moscow vetoed it. Great Britain received 25% of the total, France 18%, Germany 11%, and Italy 10% (1.2 billion USD). The donation served primarily to build trust and attract further capital. It will help ensure economic recovery and decades of peace, perhaps the longest period of peace in Europe.
