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.