The events that brought about the Marshall Plan were spurred on by a combination of man-made and natural disasters. Immediately following World War II, much of Europe was in chaos.

Millions of refugees roam the continent, some attempting to return home after the war, others fleeing westward, away from Soviet domination. Governments lie toppled, national economies remain in ruin.

Meanwhile, the harvest of 1946 is poor, and the winter of '46-47 is one of the worst in memory. The strife leads many in Western Europe to consider communism as an end to the hard life and injustices they suffer.
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