The Marshall Plan, officially known as the European Recovery Program, significantly impacted Europe's recovery after World War II. Launched in 1948, it provided over $12 billion in economic assistance to help rebuild Western European economies. The funds facilitated infrastructure repair, industrial revitalization, and agricultural recovery, promoting economic stability and preventing the spread of communism. The plan fostered cooperation among European nations and ultimately led to increased trade and integration, laying the groundwork for the future European Union. Its success is often credited with speeding up recovery and alleviating poverty, contributing to a prosperous Europe in the years that followed.