Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Master's Theses Graduate College 8-1974 The Effect of the Ostpolitik on the Opposing Bloc Systems in Europe Thomas C. Mericle Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses Part of the International Law Commons, and the International Relations Commons Recommended Citation Mericle, Thomas C., "The Effect of the Ostpolitik on the Opposing Bloc Systems in Europe" (1974). Master's Theses. 2598. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/2598 This Masters Thesis-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. the effect of the ostpolitik on the OPPOSING BLOC SYSTEMS IN EUROPE by Thomas C. M ericle A T hesis Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Arts Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan August 197^ Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my grateful appreciation for the encourage­ ment, advice and constructive criticism during the preparation of this thesis to George Klein, Ernest E. Rossi and Jack C. Plano. My sincere thanks go to them, as well as to many others at Western Michigan University, especially Professor William A. Ritchie, who has given me much needed assistance. The financial benefits of a Graduate Assistantship and the scholarly training from the faculty of the Department of Political Science, have made my graduate study very rewarding and a true pleasure. I also wish to give special thanks to my wife Ann, who spent many hours proofreading and typing, and for her patience and encouragement. Thomas C. M ericle i i Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. INFORMATION TO USERS This malarial was produced from a microfilm copy of the origpnai document While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have bean used, the quality is heavily dependant upon the quality of the original submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. 1. The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Pags(s)". If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. 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TABIiS OP CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE PREFACE............................................................................................... 1 I LEGACY OF DEFEAT: ADENAUER AND THE COLD VAR . 5 Limits of the New Sovereignty ....................................... 6 Domestic Political Limitations ....................................... 10 The Crises of 1958-1962 .................................................... 21 The W estern A llia n c es and Attem pts a t D e t e n t e ................................................................ 31 In th e Shadow of "Der A l t e " ............................................ 3^ A denauer's Dilemma ........................................... ..... ^3 I I THE EVOLUTION OF BONN'S 05T P 0L IT IK ................................... ^5 Domestic Politics and the Grand Coalition .... ^7 The Launching of th e O s t p o l i t i k ................................... 51 Ostpolitik and the Federal Election of 1 9 6 9.......................................................................... 61 The Brandt Government and New Departures .................. 67 Achievements of the O stpolitik ....................................... 73 I I I THE AMERICAN PRESENCE IN EUROPE ........................... 83 Western Policy Prior to O stpolitik ............................... ' 3+ * *** Reaction to the O stpolitik ................................................ 9^ The American Debate Over a European Presence ........................................................ 100 The American D ilem m a............................................................. 106 IV THE SOVIET DILEMMA OVER OSTPOLITIK.................................... 110 i i i Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER PAGE Basis of Post-War Soviet Policy. .......................... 110 Eastern Europe and the Grand Coalition .......................... 116 Ostpolitik After 1969 and the Soviet R esponse........................................................................ 127 Continuing Soviet Dilemmas..... ............................. 135 V TOWARD AH ERA OF AMBIGUITY................................................ 143 The Results of Ostpolitik ..................................... 1^5 Towards an Evolution of East-West Cooperation .......... 159 APPENDIX A ....................... • 1^5 APPENDIX .................................................................................... 166 APPENDIX .................................................................................... 175 APPENDIX .................................................................................... 190 BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................ 208 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PREFACE For the first time since the defeat of the Third Reich, Germany, at least the Western part, is again assuming the role of a major participant in international politics. West Germany's foreign policy is no longer simply the extension of the policies of her former occupying powers. This change occurred during a period of general relaxation of the once rigid bipolar confrontation that endured for well over a decade after the end of World War II, The "German prob­ lem" now appears to be entering a new, more critical phase, latent with many implications for international equilibrium and the European alliance system. The reason th e German problem i s now seen in new p ersp ectiv es is a result of the changes in the international system of the cold war, which shaped the two German regimes; and the foreign and intra- German p o lic ie s of the two German s ta te s . Changes in th e e s s e n tia lly bipolar international system or in German policies have potentially fa r-re a c h in g im p licatio n s both f o r Germany and th e in te rn a tio n a l system . In many ways th is i s because th e two German regim es, in the past at least, were not able to create foreign policy, as they were limited by the fact that their very existence was the result of the foreign policy of their conquerors. Both German political systems are the result of the East-West struggle. Not only their foreign policies and respective East-West integration, but also their con­ stitutional, political, economic and social organization were 1 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. determined by the bipolar international environment existing at the end of World War II. Today it as still a fact that Berlin operates under the occupation authority of the four powers, and Western and Soviet troops are stationed on German soil in considerable strength. It is for these reasons that it is impossible to divorce international and domestic factors in German politics. Germany occupies a unique position in the international system. Of the three divided nations in the world, Germany deserves special attention for a number of reasons. It is on divided German soil that the two