Most of the second half of the 20th century was marked by a strong German-American relationship whose primary roots were the United States’ military contributions in the fight against Nazi-Germany during World War II and its generous Marshall Plan to help rebuild a moribund German post-war economy. After the outbreak of the Cold War, deepening the transatlantic relations was a strategic necessity for both sides of the Atlantic, given the imminent geopolitical threat from the communist Soviet Union. In the decades to follow, ameliorating the partnership with the United States was, besides fostering European integration, the major goal of German foreign policy.
However, the transatlantic relationship changed significantly after the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 the German-American relationship was put to a particularly hard test. Although the Schröder administration’s first reaction was unlimited solidarity and support for the invocation of Article 5 of the NATO treaty, Germany did not support the United States’ decision to go to war in Iraq, which implied serious tensions with the Bush administration.
This paper’s purpose is to show how the relationship between Germany and the United States has evolved during the last five years. In the first part, I would like to illustrate the evolution of Germany’s foreign policy towards the United States in the aftermath of September 11 until the outbreak of the Iraq war. I will describe the primary factors leading to the drastic deterioration of transatlantic relations, such as chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s opportunistic exploitation of the Iraq issue in his election campaign. But the leaders’ personalities alone do not suffice to explain the whole picture. Thus the paper’s second part will elaborate on the German public mood, characterized by anti-Americanism, pacifism, and emancipation from the United States. The third part will be dedicated to the question why Bush and Schröder’s successor Angela Merkel get along so well – given their different backgrounds and taking into account that the Grand Coalition has not significantly changed policy on issues of division with Bush. An outlook in the future of the German-American partnership will conclude the paper in the fourth and last part.
Table of Contents
1. FROM 9-11 TO THE OUTBREAK OF THE IRAQ WAR
2. REASONS FOR GERMANY’S CLASH WITH THE UNITED STATES
3. WHY MERKEL AND BUSH GET ALONG FAMOUSLY
4. THE FUTURE OF GERMAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the evolution of German-American relations over a five-year period, specifically focusing on the shift from the Schröder administration’s opposition to the Iraq war to the renewed diplomatic alignment under the Merkel administration.
- The impact of the 9-11 terrorist attacks on transatlantic diplomacy.
- The role of domestic political factors and election campaigns in shaping foreign policy.
- The evolution of the German "Amerikabild" and public sentiment regarding U.S. foreign policy.
- The influence of personal leadership styles on bilateral relations.
- Future prospects for cooperation in an integrated global economy.
Excerpt from the Book
3. WHY MERKEL AND BUSH GET ALONG FAMOUSLY
Since Angela Merkel succeeded Gerhard Schröder as German chancellor in November 2005, George Bush seems to have found a “new best friend” (Henninger 2006) – which is surprising, taking into account that her foreign policy emphasizes the concept of “soft power” and does not diverge significantly from Schröder’s. What has changed though are style, presentation, and tone (Sommer 2006). At Merkel’s first visit to the United States she talked about “visiting friends”. Last July, the American president met the German chancellor in her home and electoral district on the Baltic Sea coast. A visit to the city of Stralsund was followed by a barbecue, which Bush called “the highest compliment”, given that he and his wife were Texans. At the G8 summit in St. Petersburg shortly after, Bush even surprised Merkel publicly with a shoulder massage – a tender gesture that many criticized as inappropriate.
It seems that Germany has risen as the most promising of all European partners over the last year. Paradoxically, Merkel’s and Bush’s backgrounds and personalities could not be much more diverse (Keese 2006): He, the wealthy capitalist, valuing family life, tradition, and religion, with a rustic humor, born into one of America’s most influential families; she, the childless, introvert, modest ex-scientist, growing up in a communist East Germany, becoming politically active only after the breakdown of her country.
Keese (2006) argues that two such genuinely different persons are highly unlikely to be true friends. The image they project in public is rather based on common political convictions, namely the strong belief in liberty and market economy. As promoters of freedom they both value Great Britain more than France, and they do not trust Putin – Merkel gave up Schröder’s policy of equidistance to the United States and Russia, making clear that the former was the more important partner.
Summary of Chapters
1. FROM 9-11 TO THE OUTBREAK OF THE IRAQ WAR: This chapter analyzes how initial post-9/11 solidarity transitioned into a significant diplomatic crisis due to Germany's opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
2. REASONS FOR GERMANY’S CLASH WITH THE UNITED STATES: This section investigates the underlying socio-political factors, including shifting public opinion and political emancipation, that contributed to the deterioration of the relationship.
3. WHY MERKEL AND BUSH GET ALONG FAMOUSLY: This chapter contrasts the personal leadership styles and diplomatic approaches of Angela Merkel and George W. Bush to explain the recent improvement in bilateral relations.
4. THE FUTURE OF GERMAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS: This final chapter discusses the potential for long-term partnership based on shared economic and strategic interests, despite lingering differences in foreign policy priorities.
Keywords
German-American relations, 9-11, Iraq war, Gerhard Schröder, Angela Merkel, George W. Bush, transatlantic partnership, foreign policy, anti-Americanism, political emancipation, soft power, global politics, diplomacy, European integration, multilateralism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper explores the evolution of the diplomatic relationship between Germany and the United States from 2001 to 2006, highlighting the transition from tension under Chancellor Schröder to rapprochement under Chancellor Merkel.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the impact of the "war on terror" on transatlantic alliances, the role of public opinion in foreign policy, personal leadership dynamics, and the influence of national identity on geopolitical stances.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The goal is to illustrate how and why the German-American relationship shifted, specifically evaluating if changes in leadership styles are sufficient to repair relations damaged by the Iraq conflict.
What scientific methodology is utilized?
The author employs a comparative political analysis, synthesizing historical timelines, public opinion poll data, and media analysis to evaluate foreign policy shifts.
What does the main body of the work address?
The body analyzes the deterioration of relations during the Schröder era, the sociological reasons for German anti-Americanism, the surprising diplomatic success of the Merkel-Bush relationship, and future collaborative priorities.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
The work is characterized by terms such as transatlantic partnership, German foreign policy, Iraq war, and political emancipation.
Why did Germany oppose the U.S. intervention in Iraq?
The paper argues that Schröder utilized the anti-war sentiment as a campaign strategy, further reinforced by Germany’s historical skepticism toward unilateral military intervention and a desire for political emancipation.
How does the author explain the rapport between Merkel and Bush?
Despite diverse backgrounds, the author suggests their relationship is built on common political convictions, such as a strong belief in liberty and a shift toward prioritizing the U.S. as a strategic partner over previous models of equidistance.
Does the paper imply that the relationship is fully repaired?
The author concludes that while relations have normalized at the leadership level, underlying public skepticism in Germany remains a challenge that may constrain future policy decisions.
- Quote paper
- MMag. M.A. Gisela Spreitzhofer (Author), 2006, German-American relations after 9-11: The Schröder and the Merkel administration in comparison, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/68072
