Paris Three-Power Conference (27 June – 2 July 1947)
파리 3국 외상회담 (1947년 6월 27일–7월 2일)
A Paris conference convened by British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin and French Foreign Minister Georges Bidault, with Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov in attendance, to formulate a joint European response to the Marshall Plan. Molotov arrived with a large delegation of 89 economic experts and initially engaged seriously, but walked out on 2 July 1947, citing objections to the inclusion of German economic reconstruction and the programme's demand for economic transparency. The collapse of the talks marked a decisive turning point in the division of Europe into Western and Soviet blocs.
In depth
Formation
On 5 June 1947 United States Secretary of State George Marshall proposed at Harvard University that the United States would support European recovery if the European countries themselves drew up a joint programme. Europe was suffering severe shortages of food and fuel and a dollar shortage, and Washington insisted that the initiative come from Europe.[P38][P49]
British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin and French Foreign Minister Georges Bidault agreed to treat the offer as a matter for the three principal European powers, and on 19 June they invited Molotov to a meeting. The invitation did not exclude the Soviet Union, and Marshall's speech had itself been open to Soviet participation.[P54][P85][P211]
Participants and agenda
The three foreign ministers of Britain, France and the Soviet Union met in Paris. The agenda covered who would draft the European recovery programme and on what terms, how German industrial capacity would be restored, and the scale and distribution of aid. The subject was formally European recovery, but the substance was the conditions attached to American aid, the treatment of Germany, and the leadership of the European economic order.[P55]
Breakdown
By 2 July the conference had broken down. The Soviet Union argued that American aid would interfere in the internal affairs of European states and subject small states to great power domination, while the American side rejected this as a misrepresentation. Bevin argued that it was Soviet action that was dividing Europe into two groups, and Britain stated that it would not be deterred by threats.[P55][P557][P560][P617][P622]
Aftermath
Britain and France decided to proceed without the Soviet Union and on 3 July invited 22 European nations to a new conference. Sixteen accepted, and the Committee of European Economic Co-operation (CEEC) opened in Paris on 12 July; on 22 September it adopted a report requesting a four-year aid programme of US$22.4 billion. The Soviet Union pressed the Eastern European states and Finland to refuse participation, and answered with the system of bilateral trade agreements known as the Molotov Plan.[P46][P59][P61][P185]
Related people
Related historical events
Sources
- Wikipedia (EN) Wikipedia article covering the Soviet negotiations section: Molotov's attendance at the Paris conference, rejection of the plan, and the walkout on 2 July 1947.
- fr.wikipedia.org French Wikipedia on Cold War conferences: detailed paragraph stating the conference opened 27 June 1947, organized by Britain and France without the U.S., with the USSR to force a Soviet position on the Marshall Plan; Molotov abruptly left on 2 July.
- historyskills.com History Skills: Molotov arrived with 89 economic experts; Stalin's change of position due to transparency requirements and German reconstruction; Molotov's walkout on 2 July 1947.
- history.com History.com: Molotov walked out of meeting with British and French representatives on 2 July 1947, signaling Soviet rejection of the Marshall Plan; details Soviet objections including aid to Germany.
- rferl.org RFE/RL key dates timeline: 27 June 1947 Molotov joins Bevin and Bidault in Big Three conference; 2 July 1947 Molotov terminates discussions.
- Wikipedia (EN)
- Wikipedia (EN)
- history.state.gov
- history.state.gov