After World War II, European countries were left in horrible conditions and suffered through severe debt and required serious help in order to recover. The Marshall Plan was lead by the United States to help those countries and to avoid the spread of communism further. Had this not been initiated the rebuilding of the nations who were torn from the war would have taken longer. The Marshall Plan also strengthened relationships between those countries who accepted help from the United States, therefore if it never occurred the relationships that were established could have never improved or never compromised with one another. The Marshall Plan also allowed American products to go in the markets of twenty-three countries after an agreement of tariffs and trade. Without this happening, American society would be limited to American goods until an agreement was made.