Mobilizing Europe's Stateless: America's Plan for a Cold War Army

When World War II ended, millions of refugees were left in Europe, unable or unwilling to return to their former homes. A number of leading U.S. officials wanted to form an armed Volunteer Freedom Corps out of these displaced groups. The corps would have supplemented--and perhaps eventually replaced--U.S. troops stationed in Europe. American officials favored the plan because they believed it would reduce the U.S. military burden, alleviate the refugee crisis, and provide a bulwark against Soviet expansion. The proposal was never implemented, however, because of objections from West European governments. The recurring episode illustrated the tensions within NATO during the Cold War.