ABSTRACT
The period of the military occupation from 1945 to 1949 established an overall tone and texture which served as a powerful influence on the development of relations between the United States and West Germany. The most important legacy of the military occupation was the active and intentional creation of preconditions which later could serve as the viable foundation stones of an alliance relationship. A vast range of friendships between American military personnel and Germans was elaborated, cemented, and allowed to mature. The three periods from 1945 to 1967 - occupation, semi-sovereignty, and normalcy - all contributed to the building of a solid foundation for the German-American politico-military relationship. The West German government’s search for a viable security policy, one which would be acceptable to the German people as well as the western allies, was, following the failure of the grandiose attempt at European military integration, eminently successful.
