Even five years since the end of World War 2, Europe was still in the process of rebuilding and finding its way. Now with the added attraction of Communism and what, in its most abstract, became a popularity contest between Democracy and Independence to Communism and a central government around which satellites would revolve became something of a struggle, one which would flare up in many places in the coming years. Most notably Korea, which became a bellwether for the Cold War for the next four decades.
In May of 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed a plan for Europe. The Schuman Declaration, or Schuman Plan, was a proposal to place French and West German production of coal and steel under a single authority that later became the European Coal and Steel Community, made by the French foreign minister, Robert Schuman, on 9 May 1950 (now celebrated in the EU as Europe Day), the day after the fifth anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. The alliance would later be opened to other European countries. The ultimate goal was to pacify relations, especially between France and West Germany, through gradual political integration to be achieved by creating common interests. Schuman said that “the coming together of the countries of Europe requires the elimination of the age-old opposition of France and Germany … the solidarity in production thus established will make it plain that any war between France and Germany becomes not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible.”
Konrad Adenauer, the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, responded positively to the Declaration, as did the governments of the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and Luxembourg. On 18 April 1951, the six founding members signed the Treaty of Paris. It created the European Coal and Steel Community – Europe’s first supranational community, which paved the way for the European Economic Community and subsequently the European Union.
The Schuman proposal was agreed on after the French cabinet discussion on 9 May 1950. Earlier in the day, Schuman had been assured that it had the support of German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer.
The Schuman Declaration says “The coming together of the nations of Europe requires the elimination of the age-old opposition of France and Germany.” The French government “proposes that Franco-German production of coal and steel as a whole be placed under a common High Authority, within the framework of an organization open to the participation of other countries of Europe.” The pooling of coal and steel production should allow for a common foundation for economic development and “will make it plain that any war between France and Germany becomes not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible.” Importantly, by pooling basic production and by instituting the new High Authority — whose decisions bind France, Germany and other member countries — “this proposal will lead to the realization of the first concrete foundation of a European federation indispensable to the preservation of peace.”
The Declaration had several aims:
the birth of Europe as a political entity
to make war between member states impossible
to encourage world peace
to form an anti-cartel agency in the coal and steel industries of member countries
to revitalize the European economy as a whole starting with the coal and steel sectors
to offer production in coal and steel to the world without distinction or exception, with the aim of raising living standards and promoting international development, including in Africa.
Discussing the plan during the weekly radio program Chicago University Roundtable were Historian Alan Simpson, Hans Morgenthau and Henri Bonnet. It was broadcast on June 25, 1950 over NBC Radio.
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