The Study Of German Security Policy After The Cold War

For a long time, Europe stands in the center of the international politics system. Among the European countries Germany becomes the center of attention. Geographically Germany is the heart of Europe and has an enormous population. To gain ground Germany battled with its neighbor for hundreds years. To an extent, Germany shaped the European history. Since the unification in 1871 Germany became stronger and stronger. As a state which came too late, Germany was not satisfied with the established international order. Germany desired to change the status quo with its power. In the first half of the 20 th century, Germany provoked two world wars, which left painful memories on the whole world.After the WWⅡ, the German nation rethought the role it should play at the european stage. Ultimately they fund the way. Through the political economic unity of Europe, they can ensure the enduring peace and security in Europe. But in the Cold War Germany must be dependent on USA and NATO. With the end of Cold War, Germany regained entire sovereignty. The major change in domestic and international environment demands an overhaul of foreign security policy. At the same time, due to its special history Germany can’t take action like a “normal state”.From history and reality I try to study the role that Germany plays in the european security system, reorganize the German security policy in the post-cold war era. In recent years Europe and the surrounding area are heavily unstable, the whole world fell also under the influence. Therefore it is significative and necessary to study the German security policy.Based on the study of the work from domestic and foreign scholars, I read all important German official documents about security and defense and important speeches of all German presidents, chancellors, foreign ministers and defense ministers. It can help us to better understand the German security policy. This is also a new source for the diplomacy and defensive study.With the assistance of the role theory, I analyze two identities that Germany has---trade state and civilized state, and study how the two identities affect the Germany’s diplomacy and security policy. Then through the analysis of the official documents, I elaborate detailed the German security policy in post-cold war. At the last I probe into the role that Germany plays in maintenance of European security order, especially in the communication between west and east.