The aftermath of World War II found the French and German economies devastated. Leaders of the French government sought to prevent another war between the two countries. That was the genesis of the Schuman Plan. It was proposed in May of 1950 by French foreign minister Robert Schuman.
The gist of the plan was to create a common market for coal and steel produced in France and West Germany. With production of these two important commodities pooled, war between the countries would be practically impossible. A single market, free from tariffs, would ensure cooperation between the former adversaries. Merging economic interests were also expected to raise the standard of living in both countries.
Support for the plan in Western Europe was high. Before long the plan expanded to include Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The success of the Schuman Plan led to formation the European Economic Community and the modern-day European Union.
See the papers of Charles H. Brown at UW’s American Heritage Center to learn more.