Logistics Matters: the Growth of Little Americas in Occupied Germany By Linda L. Kruger Submitted to the graduate degree program in History and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. _________________________________ Chairperson, Dr. Theodore Wilson _________________________________ Dr. Adrian Lewis _________________________________ Dr. Eve Levin _________________________________ Dr. Nathan Wood _________________________________ Dr. Jacob Kipp _________________________________ Dr. Leonie Marx Date Defended: August 22, 2014 The Dissertation Committee for Linda L. Kruger certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Logistics Matters: the Growth of Little Americas in Occupied Germany ________________________________ Chairperson, Theodore A. Wilson Date approved: 3 October 2014 ii ABSTRACT The U. S. Army’s presence in Germany after the Nazi regime’s capitulation in May 1945, required pursuit of two stated missions: (1) to secure German borders, and (2) to establish an occupation government within the U. S. assigned occupation zone. Both missions required logistics support, an often unstated but critical mission. The security mission, provided largely by the combat troops, declined between 1945 and 1948, but grew again, with the Berlin Blockade in 1948, and then with the Korean crisis in 1950. However, the occupation mission grew under the military government (1945-1949), and then during the Allied High Commission era (1949-1955). The build-up of U. S. Army infrastructure during the early occupation years has stood forward-deployed U. S. military forces in Europe in good stead throughout the ensuing years. The United States military force, predominantly the U. S. Army, was the only U. S. Government agency possessing the ability and resources needed to support the occupation mission. Furthermore, U. S. Army logistics support underpinned not only the U. S. military occupation mission between 1945 and 1949, the U. S. presence on the Allied High Commission until its official retirement in 1955, but also the U. S. security forces on the ground throughout the entire period and for decades later. The objectives in this study are threefold. First, to validate that U. S. Army logistics in the U. S. Zone of Occupation in Germany between 1945 and 1949 laid the foundation for the long-term presence of the U. S. Army in Germany. Second, to analyze the rationale for the build-up of logistics during this period. Third, to analyze the impact of U. S. Army soldiers, aspects of their logistics support mission, and family members on the German population. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Two months after a successful dissertation defense, pondering how to wrap up the last administrative and dissertation submission details, I spoke again with one of the two people who really lived almost daily with my project and me, albeit one of the two often from a distance. While both people are German to the core, the one remains in Germany, the other here in the United States. Suse Pfeiffer, a Württemberger, is almost eighty-nine now but she was twenty at the end of the war, and lived in the U. S. occupation zone. The other person was only four years old, also lived within the U. S. occupation zone, but too young to remember many details. The one with whom I spoke this morning, Suse, not only provided me with her own experiences, but introduced me to a number of others from her age group, who rounded out the stories with their own experiences. Moreover, Suse has constantly supported my efforts, and this morning was no different. The other, my husband, Jürgen, not only raised my often-sagging spirits, but also provided focus and perspective and more often than not, cleared a path through the sometime bureaucratic German archival system. I cannot over-emphasize the role these two played in my completion of this narrative. As important as their support has been to me personally, however, I could not have completed this project without a mountain (a nice logistics term) of assistance and support from professional sources. First, my dissertation committee deserves the academic equivalent of a military Legion of Merit for putting up with the legion of unmeritorious questions I asked. My chair at the University of Kansas, Theodore Wilson, suggested the topic, that at the time I thought to be a rather simple subject. Ha! Ted Wilson, judiciously or otherwise, gave me full rein until toward the end of my journey when he wisely intervened in my somewhat haphazard navigations, to iv suggest a few timely texts to add some necessary baggage to the load. I must say, these readings are classics and I truly appreciate his suggestions. Two committee members, Eve Levin and Leonie Marx, suffered the most from my uncertainties and difficulties with focus and preciseness. Eve Levin was my History Department Graduate Advisor, who voted to accept me initially into the PhD program and reminded me (often) that I had “what it takes” to push through. As a professional scholar and editor, Eve Levin’s talent and expertise in information management set me straight more than once. I still ask myself, “Why does chronology have to be so important?” To Leonie Marx, the not-so- “outside” committee member and Graduate Advisor in the German Literature and Languages Department, fell the task of validating not only my German language capability, as much of my research was conducted in German archives using German language material, but she also represented the Modern German history expertise lacking in my own department. Additionally, in Leonie Marx’ world, language matters, a skill I still struggle with. Without these two women, I assure you I would not have completed this dissertation. My other committee members stuck with me through muddle and puddle: Nathan Wood, Adrian Lewis and Jake Kipp, each one providing expert knowledge in their specialties throughout my program, culminating in this successful project. Thank you, all! Second, no research project succeeds without the assistance and support of dedicated archivists and researchers who worked with me to dig up relatively obscure data. All deserve mention, although each one had always demurred with, “I am only doing my job.” Sabine Schrag and the staff at Stadtarchiv Stuttgart in Bad Cannstatt, committed to providing world- class support to all visitors, extended assistance and hospitality that made us feel at home. The archive possesses an incredible amount of data – it would take months to comb through it all. v Especially helpful with occupation history, my thanks to Dr. Ulrich Hussong at the Stadtarchiv Marburg. Tim Renick and John Shields at the U. S. Army Logistics University Library, Fort Lee and Luther Hanson, curator at the Ft. Lee Army Quartermaster Museum provided not only their time and encouragement but also convinced me, “There is a story out there – you just need to find it.” Randy Sowell at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum took me under his wing, as he has so many professional scholars and students, opening folders, documents, and in their wake, raising thoughtful questions about the direction of my research and proposing counter-ideas. Likewise, the archivists and staff at the President Dwight D. Eisenhower Library were equally supportive. Of course, I had to return to the CARL at Fort Leavenworth and Carlisle Barracks for visits, and the staff at both CARL and the Army Heritage and Education Center made it worth my while. The crews there are so steeped in military history, and typical of the military family, both military and civilian, so incredibly knowledgeable of what source has which file, document, list or pictures, I shudder to think of the day when any of them retire! Thank you all! Not connected to any of the official archives, but an archive unto himself, I would truly be amiss in not acknowledging the assistance I received from Allen Dale Olson, much of whose career tracked with the development of the Dependent School System (DSS), later known at Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DODDS), and now Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA). Allen Dale Olson not only shared his own experiences in Germany but also introduced me to many of the educators who also taught in the American school system there in the early days. Thank you! I would also like to applaud the University of Kansas Watson and Anschutz library staffs and particularly the Interlibrary Loan Department for their diligence and creativity in assisting vi with this research. My thanks also to the all-too-often nameless students working at the libraries who politely withheld jokes about the two dinosaurs (my husband and me) checking out all the material. One young man actually offered to help me carry the book bags down the stairs of Watson Library. Fourth, the administrative experts within the History Department, the College of Graduate Affairs and Pamela Rooks make what is to this student a nightmare of administrative detail, look like pre-school. The outside supporters – Walter Elkins and the CARE staff at CARE Deutschland-Luxemburg contributed graciously to this effort. Thank you. Fifth, my heart-felt thanks go out to that small core of people who trudged with me for the last three years, convincing me, “You can do this.” You know who you are and I am grateful! Finally, to all the Loggies, past and present, who have served their Army and country over the years. Without your often-unheralded efforts, the missions would have faltered. I am finished. At last! Lee Kruger Leavenworth, Kansas October 2014 vii For Suse and Jürgen, with this dissertation, your stories are now a written part of history! viii TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER I. HISTORIC ROOTS OF GERMANY’S POST WAR ECONOMIC AND LOGISTICS CHALLENGES ..........................................................................................