As America appears to be drifting into a period of isolation from the rest of the world, a reminder that there was a time the U.S. was a major contributor in the reconstruction of Europe and much of the Pacific region after the devastation of World War 2. With programs like The Marshall Plan used to stabilize much of Europe and provide food and raw materials for the herculean process of rebuilding and aiding the displaced, over time our Foreign Aid was shifting to areas of defense in light of increasing aggression from the Communist Bloc countries and the influence of Red China in the far east.
As America, and in fact the rest of the world, was becoming engaged in a Cold War, many countries were feeling the pressure of defending themselves again the threat of takeover and worse, the threat of an all-out Nuclear war.
In the mid-1950s, and with the Red Scare engulfing America, many politicians were questioning just how important Foreign Aid was at this stage.
It was a subject that triggered much argument on Capitol Hill, as was evidenced by this Political Discussion program American Forum,a popular staple of Cold War radio in America. The issue being addressed was “How Important Is Foreign Aid?” and the question was whether more money should be spent on Foreign Aid, or less.
Members on the panel included Senator Allen Ellender (D-Louisiana) and Congressman Walter Judd (R-Minnesota) – Ellender was vehemently in favor of consideraly less Foreign Aid while Judd was decided in favor of more – since voting on upcoming legislation regarding Foreign Aid, the issue was a hot-button topic.
It’s interesting to note that practically every country in Europe and Asia was embroiled in one crisis or another – it’s also worth noting that the matter of Colonial possession was still an important issue at the time with France alone recovering from the debacle of Indochina while facing a protracted and seemingly endless crisis developing in Algeria. Britain too was facing issues both in Asia and the Middle East. It was no easy issue with no easy solutions.
Here is that episode of American Forum from NBC Radio on June 10, 1956.
