It's Not Eductainment, It's Edupersuasion

What we think of as history, Marshall knew of as current events.

World War II had over for two years, but, even at the time, everyone understood it was a big deal. It wasn't like several years later people looked around and said, "Wow, remember that big war we had? Turned out it was something."

World War II was kind of hard to miss.

But certain bits were harder to see than others. Physical damage was obvious. Anyone could look and see a bomb crater, or a building leveled by tanks, or cemeteries full of dead soldiers. But there was also unseen pain and poverty…which was even scarier and more insidious than the visual destruction. Marshall made sure to point this out:

"In considering the requirements for the rehabilitation of Europe the physical loss of life, the visible destruction of cities, factories, mines and railroads was correctly estimated, but it has become obvious during recent months that this visible destruction was probably less serious than the dislocation of the entire fabric of European economy." (2.1)

What was going on in the audience's minds was something like, "Less serious? Less serious? How bad can this dislocation of the economy be, exactly?"

Well, Marshall was prepared with an answer. He rattles off what was happening in the broad strokes, with the most stunning point nestled in the middle.

"For the past ten years conditions have been highly abnormal. The feverish preparation for war and the more feverish maintenance of the war effort engulfed all aspects of national economies. Machinery has fallen into disrepair or is entirely obsolete." (2.2-4)

So not only has the war been bad, but things were being destroyed even before the first shot was fired. Marshall goes on to explain what he sees as the basic unit of the economy, and that it's in trouble.

"The farmer has always produced the foodstuffs to exchange with the city dweller for the other necessities of life. This division of labor is the basis of modern civilization. At the present time it is threatened with breakdown." (3.2-3)

He supports his assertions, though not with the rigor of an academic paper. He's all about persuading first, educating second.

He summarizes everything with a stark statement:

"The truth of the matter is that Europe's requirements for the next three or four years of foreign food and other essential products–principally from America–are so much greater than her present ability to pay that she must have substantial additional help, or face economic, social and political deterioration of a very grave character." (4.1)

Marshall didn't think all of this was news to his audience. He figured they knew most of these points individually, but he was connecting the dots for them. He's reviewing everything and then going into what can reasonably be deduced. The world saw bad economies lead to political extremism, so it made good sense to see that didn't happen again.

From there, he launched into his solution (and eventual mic drop).