Coal, Steel, and the Rebirth of Europe, 1945 1955

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Focusing on the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), this investigation delves into the thirty-year Franco-German rivalry over heavy industry in Western Europe. It highlights Jean Monnet's ambitions and the American influence that shaped his vision. Gillingham uncovers the operational dynamics of the ECSC, revealing that it ultimately reinforced existing industrial power structures rather than transforming them, resulting in a continued dominance of major Ruhr producers instead of achieving the intended economic reforms.