Austrian electrical engineers study a new generator in Schenectady, New York, circa 1949.

As part of its technical assistance program, the Marshall Fund paid for more than 3,000 Europeans to make six-month visits to U.S. industries to learn new techniques. A similar program took place with agricultural visits. The Marshall Fund also sponsored visits to Europe by U.S. industry and agriculture experts to share new techniques.

At the time, the northern European electric grid mainly used hydropower from the Pyrenees, Alps and Tyrol and distributed energy in a grid that naturally link Germany, Austria, France and the Benelux countries. Electrical production was a high priority and was one of the cross-border enterprises which helped tie together European nations. (Library of Congress)