CMKXVictim,

Study the Marshall Plan in detail, to understand the tremendous devestation throughout Europe, after WWII. Also, Stalin's efforts to stymie the plan, so as to engulf all of continental Europe. I have seen pictures from all over Europe, of that time, and was shocked to see cities everywhere in ruins, and industry non-existant. Europe in 1948 had ZERO economy, and thanks in part to a devestating winter, starvation was also rampant. It is hard for us to imagine that the peace killed near as many as combattant casualties, not counting murders and genocides in Continental Europe.

Massive strikes and uprisings by pro communist workers, with much violence, in France and Italy very nearly resulted in them joining the communist bloc. And this was in 1948-1950.

Meanwhile, China all but forgotten by the western alliance went communist, Korean war came within a hair of going nuclear by Truman.

The seeds of Western European unity were sown in those tumultuous years, and don't forget still raw memories of WWI reparations, economic turmoil, etc, etc, etc.

Far, far more to this than we can cover, merely scratching the surface on a blog.

In the meantime, looking forward to a prosperous week (and month) for us all.

N