Mary Hampton argues that a set of ideas that influenced American policymakers in the postwar era help explain the unique evolution of the Western Alliance and Germany's rapid unification in 1990. These ideas, called the Wilsonian impulse, derived from the historical lessons concerning World War I and the interwar years learned by prominent American policymakers. The most important lesson was that a trans-Atlantic community of nations must be built that included a democratic and equal Germany. West German leaders were persistent in appealing to the Wilsonian impulse to promote their national interests. In particular, Bonn was able to ensure over time Washington's pledge to aid in the peaceful unification of Germany. The success of that policy became evident in 1990. Recent works in international relations theory have explored the impact of ideas on international institutions and on the foreign policymaking process. This study contributes to that literature by examining the role ideas have had on the evolution of Western relations in the postwar era. Hampton focuses on the cluster of ideas she calls the Wilsonian impulse. Derived from the historical lessons drawn from World War I and the interwar years, these distinctly Wilsonian ideas largely constructed the beliefs that American foreign policymakers held about trans-Atlantic relations in the immediate postwar period. Central was the belief that the European balance of power system must be superceded by a Western community of nations wherein a democratic Germany would be included on an equal basis. Hampton examines how the influence of the Wilsonian impulse permitted West German leaders to gain rapid entrance into the Western Alliance on favorable terms. More importantly, the U.S. led the West in sharing responsibility for the eventual unification of Germany as part of the Allied pledge of support for Bonn. The peaceful unification of Germany in 1990 brought to fruition the future envisioned by the Wilsonian impulse. This book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of 20th century American foreign policy and modern German history.

As Germany returns its national government from Bonn to Berlin, the country's politics have become more uncertain than at any time since World War II. Since unification there has been an ongoing debate, both inside and outside Germany, concerning its power, intentions, identity, and domestic structure. Examining the country's image of political drift, the authors focus on current debates regarding Germany's welfare state, European monetary policy, security policy, warnings about a supposed 'German hegemony' in Europe, symbolic or geopolitical implications of the return to Berlin, and new complexities in party politics and public opinion. The authors also question recent analyses that suggest the direction of German politics is either one of overall 'continuity' or fundamental 'transformation.' Although there is far more similarity between the Berlin Republic and its West German predecessor than there ever could have been between 'Weimar' and 'Bonn, ' the authors also show that united Germany is in many ways more than an enlarged version of its successful forerunner. Intended for both specialists and generalists, this timely volume will be especially valuable for students of comparative and international politics who wish to understand the new Germany in its European and international context.

International experts assess the components of the Baltic security puzzle by placing the security and political interests of the states of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania within the historical, economic, and political narratives of the greater Baltic region. They first reevaluate Baltic history as a progression of conflict, partial integration, Cold War division, up to today's efforts to build a security community. Next, they focus on economic and social relations by contrasting patterns of democratization, domestic politics, EU membership, and the economics of crime. Lastly, they analyze military security and evolving regional perceptions of threats as well as the dynamics of alliance behavior and the recent geostrategic clashes unearthed by Russia's behavior in Ukraine.