<P> The Marshall Plan ( officially the European Recovery Program , ERP ) was an American initiative to aid Western Europe , in which the United States gave over $13 billion ( nearly $140 billion in 2017 dollars ) in economic assistance to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War II . The plan was in operation for four years beginning on April 8 , 1948 . The goals of the United States were to rebuild war - torn regions , remove trade barriers , modernise industry , improve European prosperity , and prevent the spread of Communism . The Marshall Plan required a lessening of interstate barriers , a dropping of many regulations , and encouraged an increase in productivity , trade union membership , as well as the adoption of modern business procedures . </P>
who was offered aid by the marshall plan
Western Europe