GIs in Germany The Social, Economic, Cultural, and Political History of the American Military Presence
Book contents
- GIs in Germany
- Series page
- GIs in Germany
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Part One Strategy and Politics
- 1 Guarantors of Peace and Freedom
- 2 Deterrence and Defense
- 3 The War That Was Never Fought
- 4 Why They Did Not Go Home
- Part Two Military Communities
- Part Three Tensions between Neighbors
- Part Four The German Armed Forces and the American Model
- Part Five The 1970s and 1980s
- Appendix: Population Statistics for U.S. Military in Germany, 1945–2000
- Select Bibliography
- Index
2 - Deterrence and Defense
The Stationing of U.S. Troops in Germany and the Implementation of Forward Strategy in Europe, 1950–1967
from Part One - Strategy and Politics
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 October 2013
By
Book contents
- GIs in Germany
- Series page
- GIs in Germany
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Part One Strategy and Politics
- 1 Guarantors of Peace and Freedom
- 2 Deterrence and Defense
- 3 The War That Was Never Fought
- 4 Why They Did Not Go Home
- Part Two Military Communities
- Part Three Tensions between Neighbors
- Part Four The German Armed Forces and the American Model
- Part Five The 1970s and 1980s
- Appendix: Population Statistics for U.S. Military in Germany, 1945–2000
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Summary
At the height of the NATO crisis, West German Minister of Defense Kai-Uwe von Hassel stressed that the "principle of forward defense" was the essential precondition of the Federal Republic's co-operation in the alliance. The dilemma NATO confronted became manifest during the summer of 1955 after the press reported on the alliance's exercise Carte Blanche, which was based on premise that nuclear weapons would be used within the territory of the Federal Republic. According to a survey conducted after the exercise, two-thirds of the West German public were opposed to the use of U.S. atomic weapons even in case of a Soviet attack. General Adolf Heusinger tried to calm the public by arguing that deterrence served to prevent wars; the main objective of NATO's strategy was to secure Europe from the Soviets; and everything would be done to protect the German people from the effects of atomic weapons.
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- Chapter
- Information
- GIs in GermanyThe Social, Economic, Cultural, and Political History of the American Military Presence, pp. 55 - 72Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2013