Why did the United States enact the Marshall Plan?

Responses

to form an alliance with Western European countries who promised to defend each other if attacked
to form an alliance with Western European countries who promised to defend each other if attacked

to begin a series of reforms to help rebuild Japan in order to keep communism from taking hold there
to begin a series of reforms to help rebuild Japan in order to keep communism from taking hold there

to provide the means to help Western European nations rebuild their economies and become more stable
to provide the means to help Western European nations rebuild their economies and become more stable

to create a unified system of military command between the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite countries
to create a unified system of military command between the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite countries