15 - The American Image of Germany, 1968-1991

Summary

Translated by Tradukas

The American image of Germany between 1968 and 1989 was characterized by a mix of continuity and ambivalence. It usually depended on the political and ideological standpoint of the observer. On one point, however, scholars and politicians are in agreement: The special influence that public opinion and interest groups exerted on American foreign policy made the question of the American image of Germany an issue of more than purely academic interest. From the mid-1980s on, the importance of this factor has been reflected, for instance, in the numerous governmental and private public relations initiatives aimed at promoting a better understanding of the Federal Republic in the United States.

PREREQUISITES, CONDITIONS, TRADITIONS

What was the overriding feature of America's image of Germany in this period? The rather low importance accorded to the two German states in the collective consciousness of Americans is probably the most striking characteristic. Quite a number of American foreign correspondents working in the Federal Republic complained eloquently that their efforts at informative and balanced reporting met with little interest in the United States. This held even for the few newspapers with comprehensive foreign coverage, such as the New York Times and the Washington Post. Above all, the strong trend toward crisis-oriented reporting meant that stories on the Federal Republic were either rare or predominantly about spectacular events. That 1960s television increasingly displaced the daily newspaper as the leading news medium strengthened these trends.