AMERICA AND AMERICAN OCCUPATION IN GERMAN EYES

In: The annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Band 295, S. 52-61

Abstract

West German opinion of America, as reflected in & reinforced by its mass media, is ambivalent, insecure, full of misunderstanding & often contradictory. An examination of the stereotypes of `materialistic America', `God's own country', & `Americans are crazy'. US occupation often reflected German feelings of inferiority, insecurity, resentment, & guilt, projected onto the powerful victor. Instability of US occupation policy was prompted by sensitivity to Russian policy, & 'to many Germans, Americans appeared as a people sadly lost on the international scene'. 'Anti-Americanism' of the violent, obsessionally prejudiced type is very rare in Germany. It is usually to be found among the 'lunatic fringe' of unreconstructed Nazis & Communists, comprising together less than 3% of the total pop. The number of passionate & unqualified pro-Americans seems hardly bigger, & the remainder would fall within these extremes, tending to express feelings of cultural superiority, political & moral distrust, personal & national resentments toward what is supposed to be America; 'a picture that often conflicts with American realities, yet much more often than not accepts America as the `lesser evil' in comparison with Soviet Russia'. Germans also tend to accept US as a `necessary evil' to support them in their defense against the Soviet evil. (See also SA 2685, 2734, 2735, 2737, 2738, 2744, 2745, 2746, 2748) P. Widem.