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Coping with Crisis: Military Government Officials, U.S. Policy, and the Occupation of Bavaria, 1945-1949 By Copyright 2017 John D. Hess M.A., University of Kansas, 2013 B.S., Oklahoma State University, 2011 Submitted to the graduate degree program in the Department of History and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Chair: Adrian R. Lewis Theodore A. Wilson Sheyda Jahanbani Erik R. Scott Mariya Omelicheva Date Defended: 28 April 2017 The dissertation committee for John D. Hess certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Coping with Crisis: Military Government Officials, U.S. Policy, and the Occupation of Bavaria, 1945-1949 Chair: Adrian R. Lewis Date Approved: 28 April 2017 ii Abstract This dissertation explores the implementation of American policy in postwar Germany from the perspective of military government officers and other occupation officials in the Land of Bavaria. It addresses three main questions: How did American military government officials, as part of the institution of the Office of Military Government, Bavaria (OMGB), respond to the challenges of the occupation? How did these individuals interact with American policy towards defeated Germany? And, finally, how did the challenges of postwar Germany shape that relationship with American policy? To answer these questions, this project focuses on the actions of military government officers and officials within OMGB from 1945 through 1949. Operating from this perspective, this dissertation argues that American officials in Bavaria possessed a complicated, often contradictory, relationship with official policy towards postwar Germany. Early in the occupation, Bavarian military government challenged or worked to mitigate the effects of American policy that promoted a harsh, deconstructive peace. At other times, however, military government officials implemented official policy, simply adapting it to the circumstances of postwar Bavaria. Policy implementation in Bavaria, therefore, was not a straight-forward matter, but was characterized by a series of challenges that complicated attempts to turn official directives and plans into reality. Ultimately, this dissertation operates on the belief that it is vitally important to understand the challenges associated with policy implementation, particularly if nation-building remains a part of American foreign policy in the future. Future policy should be based on an accurate understanding of past experiences, including the role of low-level officials in implementing policy and the challenges associated with putting official directives into action. iii Acknowledgements After nearly a decade as a university student of some sort and a lifetime of learning, it is difficult to adequately thank the many different teachers, professors, advisors, friends, and loved ones who have had a major impact on my academic career. The task could easily take up many pages, but I shall endeavor to be circumspect in my writing and to not write the equivalent of another chapter. From high school through graduate school, I have been blessed by many teachers and professors, without whom I would have never made it to where I am today. My high school history teacher, Philippa Kelly, nurtured my love of history, introduced me to the skills of an historian, and provided a model for how a passionate, caring teacher should act, a model that I have striven to follow during my years of teaching at the University of Kansas. In addition, I must thank Rowland Vernon, my tenth-grade English teacher, for introducing me to the skills required to be an effective writer. As a student, I hated seeing “BSS” written in red all over my paper, but it taught me to avoid those “broad sweeping statements” and undoubtedly improved my writing. At Oklahoma State University, Dr. Robert Spurrier took an interest in a shy freshman honors student and provided invaluable advice throughout my undergraduate career. His comments on papers in our First Amendment Freedoms seminar class provided the confidence to overcome my earliest case of academic imposter syndrome. Dr. Michael Bracy, professor of many fascinating classes on Middle Eastern history, encouraged me to think comparatively and taught with an infectious excitement that I strove to replicate in my classrooms. At the University of Kansas I was fortunate to have many different professors influence my research, writing, and scholarship. First and foremost, my advisor Dr. Adrian Lewis provided iv invaluable guidance throughout the dissertation writing process and in planning for my post- graduation career. He provided many thoughtful comments and suggestions on this dissertation, from its beginnings as an idea up through multiple full drafts of the manuscript. Those comments improved my scholarship and helped produce a better history of the U.S. Army’s occupation of Bavaria. Dr. Ted Wilson also read early papers related to my dissertation project, made insightful comments, and kindly devoted his time to my work, even after he had retired from the university. Outside of the field of military history, Dr. Sheyda Jahanbani was kind and generous with her time, offering sage advice on my research, writing, and future career paths. Additionally, her classes on twentieth century American history and international history encouraged me to think about my own work in a comparative and transnational context. Dr. Erik Scott’s class on Russian empire likewise helped me refine my understanding of empire and its relationship to American military history. Finally, many other professors in the History Department provided invaluable advice throughout my graduate career and modeled what it means to be a committed scholar and teacher. The support of the history faculty has helped me develop as a scholar and a professional. No history project is complete without extensive archival research and I would like to thank the librarians, archivists, and individuals who made my research possible. The librarians at the University of Kansas were always ready to answer a question and patiently waited for me to return many books. In addition, the archivists at the Eisenhower and Truman presidential libraries were extremely knowledgeable and provided excellent assistance in my early dissertation research, responding to requests promptly and make helpful suggestions for additional documents to read. The military records specialists at the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, Maryland, also proved invaluable in my research. They patiently helped an anxious graduate student navigate the plethora of archival records relating to v the American occupation of Germany. Without their help, I would have spent years floundering through the records of the Office of Military Government for Germany. Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Liam J. Moran for making the personal papers of his father, William J. Moran, available for my use in this dissertation. Mr. Moran kindly scanned the documents himself and then mailed them to Lawrence, Kansas, thereby saving myself significant time and money. I am exceptionally grateful for his eager cooperation. The process of attending graduate school and writing a dissertation is often stressful and exhausting. My friends and family offered the support that has allowed me to survive almost ten years as a university student of some sort. My dear friends Corbin Francis and Robert Sonnenfeld spent years in high school and at Oklahoma State putting up with my obsession surrounding history. They let me ramble about some fascinating historical event or process, even when they clearly preferred to talk about football, video games, or some other topic. Even when I moved to Lawrence and started graduate school, they still took an interest in my work from several hundred miles away. At KU I also made many close friends who offered invaluable support throughout my six years as a graduate student. The collegial atmosphere of the History Department GTA offices often provided an enjoyable respite from the stress of classes and writing. Specifically, I want to thank my close friends from KU for helping me survive the tumult of graduate school. I will always fondly remember playing many pick-up games of basketball with Alex Boynton; those several hours a week offered an invaluable escape from my hectic schedules. Rob and Jacki Miller hosted many enjoyable parties and board game evenings. While Rob and I often disagreed on many issues related to college basketball, we were united in our shared appreciation for joys of attending a game at Allen Fieldhouse. Jacki, too, showed me the ropes as a fresh-faced GTA during my first semester as a graduate student. I am not sure I vi would have survived that semester as a teacher if not for her kind assistance. With Harley Davidson, our discussions on the merits of a specific video game or fantasy football strategy were another welcome respite from the stress of life as a graduate student. Finally, and not least, I want to thank my dear friends Neil and Sarah Oatsvall. In many ways, Neil and Sarah were my closest friends in Kansas and I am not sure I would have survived graduate school without their support and encouragement. When I had a crisis of confidence about my portfolio exam, it was Neil who helped calm my nerves. I will fondly remember the times I spent watching Gracie during the summer and frustrating Neil by mowing the grass at their house despite his insistence that I did not have to do so. Their support, even now that they live in Arkansas, has meant more than I can put into words. To the many other friends and colleagues I have met along the way, thank you so much for your friendship and helpful comments on my research. Finally, I must thank my family. My father and mother, Doug and Alicia, have been unfailingly supportive of my passion for studying history for as long as I can remember. There were undoubtedly many days growing up where my penchant for watching World War II documentaries got more than a little annoying; yet they never did anything to interrupt my love of learning.

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