Views on German Reunification
Abstract
For the past 20 years US policy toward Germany has played the dominant role in developing West Germany's present economic, political, military, and divided situation. The West German Government proclaims dual goals of German reunification and recovery of the former German lands to the east of Oder-Neisse Rivers, and the United States continues publicly to support their achievement. However, popular support for the latter goal appears to be losing ground among the German people. With or without West German recognition, the Oder-Neisse frontier appears to be growing in permanence, and the loss of the lands to the east inevitable. The Soviets hold the key to reunification and do not appear to be ready to agree to German unity in other than unacceptable terms. The events of the past 20 years impinging on the German reunification problem are many, and show no promise of significantly decreasing in the future. It appears that the United States will continue to be confronted with a choice between policies which will unite Germany and those which will preserve the security in Europe. The thesis of this paper is that the United States cannot embrace the first choice at the expense of the latter.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 08, 1966
- Accession Number
- ADA510130
Entities
People
- Larry A. Blakely
Organizations
- United States Army War College