Research On German-America Relations In Adenauer's Era

After the Second World War, the relations of West Germany-America became very special, especially in the period of the first chancellor of Federal Republic Adenauer. The German-America connection is very important to Adenauer. As a product of the Cold War, the existence and development of the Federal republic of Germany (FRG) couldn't go on without America in Adenauer' era. But the relations of two countries were not always closeness; it turned discordant gradually after the middle 1950s. So the Adenauer's era is divided into two phases with the middle of the fifties in this paper, and I discuss the German-America relations in this period with the study of cooperation and divergence between two countries.Before the middle 1950s, to the necessity of interest and the Cold War, America helped to erect the Federal Republic. That caused FRG to depend on American's help in many areas such as recovery of sovereignty and economy, security and reunification and so on. For FRG and America had more common grounds, the relations of them developed rapidly and well, they had the best time in German-America's history.Firstly, Adenauer observed ihe fact and environment of Germany and opposed firmly to neutralism that given by the Social Democratic Party, decided to have the policy "towards to west". The core of policy was to assure German's security and the recovery of sovereignty and economy by joining American's West Alliance, eventually reunified the whole Germany on this foundation. The policy of "towards to west" established the base of the German-America's relations. Secondly, the Federal Republic was given rearmament by America's support. Nevertheless France's disagreement gave more frustrations to West Germany'srearmament, the Federal Republic signed the Paris Agreements with the help of America and British. This meant the Federal Republic became one member of NATO and recovered the sovereignty and military power. Third, America gave more support to Adenauer's European policy. This policy claimed the reconciliation with France and improved European integration. Both FRG and America got benefits from it. Adenauer's policy fit American's double containment policy. It not only solidified the West Alliance, but also controlled the FRG. The success of reconciliation with France couldn't have without America's help and support. That helped FRG become the main country and America's important supporter in Europe. Lastly, the recovery of the Federal Republic's economy also related with America's assistance. As early as America designed Marshall Plan, America considered FRG must be in it. Adenauer observed that and gave initiative response. For America, FRG was one of the biggest countries in Europe. The stabilization of its economy and polity related with the whole Europe. So cooperation in German-America economy was an important part of the German-America good relations.After the middle 1950s, FRG became the biggest economic country in Europe with the developing of its economy, and then it had more demands in political affairs. FRG didn't want to be America's "little brother" again; it wanted to have equality relations with America. But America wanted to get more by maintaining the control of FRG and hegemony in Europe. So that more and more divergences and debates began to see in German-America relations, it was hard to see tuneful between them. The German-America relations were lashed when detente began between Soviet Union and America for the changing of their nuclear power contrast. The strike embodied mainly in Berlin Crisis. America's flabbyrepresentation on Germany Question and Berlin Crisis let Adenauer not trust in America. And the Federal Republic's enthusiasm for nuclear power conflicted with America's idea, which wanted to control nuclear diffusion in Europe . At the same time, Adenauer's suspicion to America was embodied in his hot attitude to German- France relations, because France often stood aside with FRG. Also with boosting of the Federal Republic's economy, the competition between Germany and...