The Morgenthau Plan: A Blueprint for Post-War Germany

Morgenthau was a plan developed by the United States government during World War II to control Germany after the war. The plan was named after Henry Morgenthau, Jr., the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury who played a key role in its development.

The Morgenthau Plan aimed to break up Germany's economic power and prevent it from becoming a military threat again. It called for the following measures:

1. Dismemberment of Germany: The plan proposed to divide Germany into several smaller states, including Bavaria, Württemberg, and Westphalia.
2. Deindustrialization: Germany was to be stripped of its heavy industry, including coal and iron mines, and its transportation network.
3. Agriculturalization: Germany was to be turned into an agricultural country, with no more than 50% of the land allowed for farming.
4. Demilitarization: Germany was to be completely demilitarized, with all military equipment and facilities destroyed.
5. Reparations: Germany was to pay heavy reparations to the Allied powers for the damage caused by the war.
6. Occupation: Germany was to be occupied by the Allied powers for an indefinite period.

The Morgenthau Plan was never implemented, but it had a significant influence on the post-war settlement and the development of the European Union. The plan's emphasis on breaking up Germany's economic power and preventing it from becoming a military threat again is still relevant today, as Germany remains a key player in European politics and economics.