At the end of World War II, millions of people were dead and millions more homeless, the European economy had collapsed, and much of the European industrial infrastructure had been destroyed. The Soviet Union, too, had been heavily affected.
In response, in 1947, U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall devised the "European Recovery Program", which became known as the Marshall Plan. Under the plan, during 1948–1952 the United States government allocated US$13 billion (US$158 billion in 2021 dollars) for the reconstruction of the affected countries of Western Europe.
These beautiful color photos were taken by Edward Kotun that show street scenes of London, Paris and Rome in November 1950.
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| England. London, The Mall, 1950 |
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| England. London park, 1950 |
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| England. London, American Embassy, Grovesnor Square, 1950 |
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| England. London, horseguards, 1950 |
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| England. London, Hyde Park Speaker's Corner and Marble Arch, 1950 |
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| England. London, Park Lane, 1950 |
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| England. London, Piccadilly Circus, 1950 |
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| England. London, Piccadilly Circus, 1950 |
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| England. London, Selfridges Department Store, Oxford Street, 1950 |
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| France. Paris, Champs-Eysees and Arch de Triomphe, 1950 |
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| France. Paris, Eiffel Tower, 1950 |
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| France. Paris, Hotel Continental, 1950 |
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| France. Paris, Place de la Concorde, 1950 |
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| France. Paris, Place de la Concorde, 1950 |
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| France. Paris, Seine River and Eiffel Tower, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, American Embassy, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, American Embassy, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, Castel Sant'Angelo Bridge over Tiber River, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, Castel Sant'Angelo, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, Castel Sant'Angelo, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, Castel Sant'Angelo, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, Colosseum - The Flavian Amphitheatre, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, original Roman wall, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, Roman Triumphal Arch, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, Square in front of Vitorrio Emanuele II Monument, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, St Peter's Basilica, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, St Peter's Basilica, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, St Peter's Square, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, St Peter's Square, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, the Roman Forum, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, the Roman Forum, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, Via Concilialzoni, 1950 |
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| Italy. Rome, Vittorio Emanuelle II Monument, 1950 |
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| On the Dover-Calais boat train between England and France, 1950 |