Due to the frequent bloody wars between France & Germany during 1870-1945 a number of European leaders in the late 1940's decided that the only way to secure a lasting peace between the two chief belligerent nations was to unite then economically & politically.
In 1950 the French Foreign Minister, Robert Shuman proposed & eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal & steel industries of Western Europe. In 1951 the European Coal & Steel Community (E.C.S.C.)* was set up. The six countries in the E.C.S.C. were Belgium, France, Italy, West Germany, Luxembourg & The Netherlands. The power to take decisions about the coal & steel industry in these countries was placed in the hands of an independent, supranational body called the "High Authority", with Jean Monnet as its first President.…
