The Way To Be Recognized:American Policy Evolution To The German Democratic Republic

The United States refused to recognize the legal status of the German Democratic Republic even it has founded in October 1949.At the beginning of the Cold War,the United States adopted containment policy and tried to subvert its regime and brought it into the Western capitalist camp through psychological warfare and "liberalization".But since the late 1960s,the United States has gradually changed its foreign policy towards the German Democratic Republic,and established diplomatic relations with the German Democratic Republic on 4 September 1974 finally.Under the vision of the international history of the cold war,the article will use multilateral archives of the United States,the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany to review the reasons,process and influence of American foreign policy towards the German Democratic Republic from perspectives of the changes of international circumstance,American domestic policies and the diplomatic demands of the German Democratic Republic.Before the late 1960s,the United States not only refused to recognize the legal status of the German Democratic Republic,but also regarded it as a bridgehead to suppress the expansion of communist forces in Western Europe.Therefore,the United States adopted liberalized policies such as psychological warfare and intelligence warfare to weaken the influence of the Soviet Union and tried to bring it into socialist camp.It strengthened United States' influence and understanding of the German Democratic Republic and established platforms for the two countries to establish diplomatic relations.The overall international situation has eased since the mid-1960s,which provided a favorable international environment for the United States and the German Democratic Republic to establish diplomatic relations.First,the US economy has been in recession since 1960s,while various social movements have sprung up one after another,and the foreign world has been mired in the Vietnam War.Under the domestic and foreign pressure,the United States launched the "Nixon doctrine" and the relations between the United States and the Soviet Union have eased.Secondly,the introduction of the "New Oriental Policy" by the Federal Republic of Germany in the late 1960s improved the relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Soviet Union and the socialist countries in Eastern Europe,and eased the tension and confrontation in Europe.In addition,the moderation of the two German relations also provided favorable external conditions for the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and the German Democratic Republic.Another important reason for the establishment of diplomatic relations depended on the changes of American domestic policies.On the one hand,the contraction of American strategy and the introduction of Nixon Doctrine laid the policy foundation for the recognition of the German Democratic Republic.On the other hand,the strengthening of economic and cultural exchanges between the United States and the German Democratic Republic was also an important driving force for the United States to recognize the German Democratic Republic.Exchanges in business organizations,academic institutions,media organizations and other non-governmental sectors in the areas of trade,culture,tourism were gradually increasing.This not only enhanced United States' understanding on the German Democratic Republic,but also pushed United States government to change its foreign policy towards a democratic Germany to some extent.The German Democratic Republic's pursuit of Western recognition was an important driving force in its diplomatic ties with the United States.The German Democratic Republic has regarded the pursuit of international recognition as an important diplomatic goal,and took the lead in opening a diplomatic breakthrough in the field of culture,while taking the Olympic Games and other international sports events as an important stage to display its national image.At the same time,the German Democratic Republic also established its universal academic exchanges with western countries.While allied with the Soviet Union,the German Democratic Republic tried to expand its diplomatic space by developing diplomatic relations with more capitalist countries.The German Democratic Republic also joined European Security Council and played an important role in international organizations such as UNESCO(United Nations Scientific,Educational and Cultural Organization).Meanwhile,the German Democratic Republic actively developed economic and trade relations with different countries in the world.These diplomatic activities enhanced the political status of the German Democratic Republic,strengthened its influence on the international stage,and made the United States begin to realize the strategic position and value of the German Democratic Republic.The United States diplomatically recognized the German Democratic Republic and established formal diplomatic relations finally.The political,economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries strengthened,and the development of international relations was promoted to some extent.The German Democratic Republic has participated deeper and further in international events and actively sought to develop relations with other Western countries as well as seeking peaceful coexistence.However,after the establishment of diplomatic relations,the United States did not change its goal of "liberalization" to the German Democratic Republic,and strengthened its infiltration through cultural diplomacy,psychological warfare,which aimed at absorbing German Democratic Republic into the Western camp.No matter recognize or not,the evolution of American diplomatic policy has always revolved around a central point:serving its national interests and satisfying the overall goals of the cold war.