馬歇爾計畫

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二次世界大戰後，喬治馬歇爾認為他的國家已不再需要他的服務，但他錯了；1945年，他退休後的某日，杜魯門總統（President Harry S. Truman）要求馬歇爾出發到中國，完成一項外交任務，到了1947年1月時，杜魯門總統正式指派馬歇爾為國務卿。接任這項新工作後，馬歇爾於冬季巡視戰後歐洲，卻對眼前的景象感到震驚不己，您認為他看到了什麼？
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After World War II, George Marshall thought his service to his country was over. He was wrong. The day after his retirement in 1945, President Harry S. Truman asked Marshall to go to China for a diplomatic mission, and in January 1947, the Truman appointed Marshall as secretary of state. In this new job, Marshall toured war-torn Europe that winter and was shocked by what he discovered. What do you think he saw?
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在歐洲，馬歇爾看到露宿街頭的家庭及孩童，他們即無食物可吃，對人生也了無希望。可怕的戰爭已經結束，但戰爭的摧殘仍隨處可見。馬歇爾是學歷史的，他知道絕望的人們常會做出孤注一擲的事情。他知道美國必須趕快行動才能避免另一場戰爭；但我們國家能做什麼呢？
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In Europe, Marshall saw families and children who had no shelter, no food, and no hope. The terrible fighting had ended, but the devastation of war remained. Marshall was a student of history. He knew desperate people often do desperate things. He knew the United States had to act quickly to prevent another war. But what could our country do?
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馬歇爾帶著大膽的新計畫回到美國。在哈佛大學的演講中，他催促美國幫助歐洲的人們，然後，他積極、努力的說服國會撥出130億美金來資助歐洲國家。資助對像甚至包括戰時的敵對國德國。這些飽受摧殘的國家利用這筆錢來修復工廠、改進農業、重建學校及整修城鎮。馬歇爾計畫讓這些國家走上永續和平的大道。1953 年時，馬歇爾也因他的偉大成就獲頒諾貝爾和平獎。
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Marshall returned to the United States with a bold new idea. In a speech at Harvard University, he urged Americans to help the people of Europe. He then worked hard to persuade Congress to give $13 billion in aid to European countries -even to Germany, which had been our enemy in the war. The damaged nations used this money to repair factories, improve farming, rebuild schools, and restore towns. The Marshall Plan put these countries on a path of lasting peace. For this great achievement, Marshall received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.
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資料來源：http://americancorner.org.tw/AmericasLibrary/category/page/aa/leaders/marshall/mplan_1.htm
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