In this authoritative book, the only work to cover the full sweep
of German foreign policy since the end of World War II, noted
scholar Helga Haftendorn explores Germany's remarkable recovery
from wartime defeat and destruction. Offspring of the Cold War, the
Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic
entered the international arena in 1949 under three crippling
constraints: they were held accountable for the crimes of the Third
Reich, they were fully dependent on the occupation powers, and
their international room for maneuver was limited by an East-West
conflict that placed Bonn and East Berlin on opposite sides of the
Iron Curtain. Tracing the FRG's strategy of multilateralism,
Haftendorn convincingly demonstrates how these liabilities
transformed into opportunities as Germany found a security
guarantee in NATO membership and economic and political rewards in
the system of European integration. The author's overview of past
half-century shows a high degree of continuity and consistency in
German foreign policy despite the tumultuous events of the era.
However, Haftendorn argues that Germany's traditional policy of
self-restraint was increasingly counterbalanced by a more assertive
stance after reunification and the rise of a post-war generation to
power. Although the country's leaders continued to value
international institutions, the benefits were increasingly weighed
against Germany's enlightened self-interest. Scholars and students
of contemporary Germany, Europe, and East-West relations will find
this nuanced and knowledgeable study invaluable.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!