SECURITY: German-American Security Relations, 1968-1990

Summary

Translated by Tradukas

THREE HISTORICAL BREAKS

A historical break occurred in roughly 1968 that is important in understanding German-American security relations. It was not as wide-reaching a turning point as the Korean War (1950-3). Nonetheless, a largely new understanding of security policy developed in both Germany and the United States during the 1960s. This new perspective would remain decisive until the end of the Cold War, and it still influences many aspects of security policy today.

The conceptual change in security policy is linked to three developments. First, following the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, both superpowers developed arms-control policies that played a central role in security policy in the second half of the Cold War and, at the same time, caused considerable friction between Bonn and Washington. In particular, the U.S.-backed Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 initially faced strong disapproval in the Federal Republic. Second, France's withdrawal from NATO's military command structure in 1966 presented an opportunity to reform the Western alliance, which improved Bonn's overall position in NATO's structures. The Federal Republic became the leading power in Western Europe in terms of conventional forces and could now claim a greater share of senior NATO posts. And third, the Federal Republic's new Ostpolitik gave Bonn greater independence in foreign policy.