German rearmament, the European Defence Community and the demise of the European army, 1950–54

The European Defence Community never came into existence, so why bother to consider it? There are two reasons for doing so. The EDC and the ECSC plans were in fact closely linked. The team that drafted the ECSC scheme also devised the EDC. In the summer of 1950 the prospect of German rearmament in NATO offered an alternative route than the ECSC for Germany to regain full control over its industry. The EDC was intended to stop this and so protect the ECSC until signed and in force.