We are told the Marshall Plan worked wonders. But interestingly, two countries that were both enemies ended up with very successful economies. And both were bombed pretty hard at the end of the war.

Which makes me think that a nation's culture and the freedom its citizens have to take risks and benefit from doing so are more important than handouts. But you could probably guess I was already pretty biased in that direction.

Killing people isn't the only thing that keeps a population in check.