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1945-Today: Good Friends Strong Allies
At the end of World War II, disarming, demilitarizing, denazifying and democratizing Germany were the undisputed objectives of the Allies. However, there were already signs of differences between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. The exploitation of the Soviet zone of occupation, the forced amalgamation of the German Communist and Social Democratic Parties to form the Socialist Unity Party and, above all, the aggressive extension of Stalinist communism which openly aimed beyond Germany and Europe led to a dramatic change in American foreign policy. These disagreements over the joint administration of the four zones and the political and economic management of Germany were principal causes of the Cold War. On June 5, 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall laid the foundation for a U.S. program of assistance to the countries of Europe (known as the "Marshall Plan"). At a time when great cities lay in ruins, Marshall called on America to ship food and clothing to war refugees and to help the people of Europe reconstruct their homes, factories and lives. His far-sighted proposal was a major factor in the reconstruction of Germany in the aftermath of World War II and in the establishment of stability and prosperity in Europe.During the "Berlin Blockade" in 1948, the Americans supplied the 2,2 million people of West Berlin by airlift with what was needed (now known as the "Berlin Airlift"). In 1949, NATO was founded, with the United States entering into a firm alliance with European states for the first time in its history. In May 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany was established. The new German government, led by Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, agreed to make a military contribution to the Western defense effort. The new German state was granted a fuller measure of sovereignity in 1955 when it joined NATO. The Western powers reserved, however, the four-power right to negotiate all issues relating to Berlin and Germany as a whole. In 1957 the European Economic Community (EEC) was established to merge seperate national markets into a single market that would ensure the free movement of goods, people, capital and services with a wide measure of common policies. John F. Kennedy's visit to Berlin highlighted his tour of several European countries in June 1963. In his speech from the Schoeneberger Rathaus Kennedy declared his special commitment to West Berlin, concluding his remarks with these words: "All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words, 'Ich bin ein Berliner'". The Federal Republic of Germany as well as the German Democratic Republic were admitted to membership in the United Nations on 18 September 1973. In 1975 the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, and the United States attended a meeting in France that focused on achieving a workable international monetary system. Canada joined the meeting the following year. Since then, the heads of state or government have met annually to address the major economic and political issues facing their nations and the international community ( known as "G-7" meetings). The annual summit provides an important occasion for leaders to discuss major international issues and to respond effectively to potential threats to the international system. NATO's "two-track decision" of 1979 meant that new missile systems would be deployed in Europe unless the Warsaw Pact and NATO agreed to limit this type of weapon. In 1986 meetings between the new General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party, Mikhail Gorbachev, and U.S. President Ronald Reagan, indicated a new readiness for dialogue between East and West. This new approach led to agreements between the two German states on cultural, educational and scientific cooperation. Speaking at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on June 12, 1987, on the occasion of the city's 750th anniversary, President Ronald Reagan called upon Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev "to tear down this Wall" to reunite Germany and Europe. This speech proved prophetic when, in 1989, the Wall came down. The "winds of change" made the unification of Germany possible. The road to unity had been opened by Gorbachev, who had given his approval after talks with Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher. The American Presidents, Ronald Reagan and subsequently George H. W. Bush, most strongly and actively supported the unification of Germany. The Federal Republic of Germany has become aware of its greater international responsibility and role since that time. Still, the United States of America, will continue to play a central role as a partner of the Federal Republic of Germany, and German-American relations will continue to be of high value and greatest importance.
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