Rees’ strand articulating the motive behind the plan, containment of communism, is credible as he emphasizes the deep rooted ideological differences that had been shown between the US and the Soviets for years as key to the introduction of the Marshall plan. Rees’ citing of Potsdam, 1945 where he says “grave differences” were seen between the two powers can be validated by other sources, ‘’the United States government was initially hostile to the Soviet leaders for taking Russia out of World War I and was opposed to a state ideologically based on communism”. This shows that for years’ communism had been the wall between the two powers. Also, Rees citing of George Kennan, US diplomat “I still consider that containment is better than war… with regards to Russia”, gives convincing support towards his argument the Marshall plan was defensive.

This argument provides strong evidence that communism was the most important motive as Rees says it was about “encouraging as far as possible the survival of free institutions”. This can be supported by the fact Truman’s foreign policy was about containing communism, the Truman Doctrine, which in turn lead to the Marshall plan as Europe “still reeling from the devastation wrought by World War II, might elect indigenous Communist governments that would orient their nations—politically, economically, and militarily—toward the Soviet Union.”. This shows that Rees was right to say defending Europe was the key factor because the fear of communism and it spreading was clearly rooted in American policy.

John Gaddis, offers an argument that gives supporting evidence. Likewise, to Rees Gaddis argues that the Americans were defending Europe, he says the “Americans began to realize that a potentially hostile power was one again threatening Europe”. Gaddis validates this by saying “Stalin’s policy, was one of imperial expansion”. Gaddis provides sufficient support to Rees. These arguments provide evidence to show that communism was key and I specifically agree with Gaddis argument. “It’s difficult to see how a strategy of containment could have developed – with the Marshall plan as its centerpiece – had there been nothing to contain”. Therefore, Rees and Gaddis highlight the underlying motive of con