Germany and Korea Reunification

1. How was the United States affected by the changes in Eastern Europe that led to the reunification of Germany?

The Soviet Union’s communist influence in Eastern Europe was largely divided from the capitalist economies of Western Europe. The decision of the Soviet Union to loosen its yoke on Eastern European countries dumped trade relations and economic systems into a tailspin. Increased rates of corruption and crime rates were also after the creation of many eastern European countries. Gorbachev’s decision and the related collapse of the Soviet Union was also the leading drive to overthrow communist rule in Eastern Europe and the ultimate collapse of the berlin wall in November 1989. These changes that occurred in Eastern Europe did not further American goals of building a prosperous trading partner and peaceful community in Europe. After WWII, the United States aimed to further its goals. Consequently, according to Brands (2018), the American policy towards Germany between 1944 and 1955 aimed to create an independent nation that would become a valuable partner without American support. These measures involved containment of the Soviet Union and other conflicting measures. The perception of soviet intentions by the United States was extremely detrimental. The decision by the Soviet Union in loosening communist influence in Eastern Europe would mean that the French won, and the United States would not dream of losing to an ally. The French were American allies and opposed German unification at all costs. The changes in Eastern Europe favored the French and this would impact American goals of advancing peace and stability in the region.

• Does a reunified Germany present any particular advantages or challenges to the United States?

Led by President George W. Bush, the United States played a crucial role in unifying Germany and stood shoulder by shoulder throughout the freedom-seeking process of the Germans. A unified NATO was one of the main advantages a unified Germany present to the US. Peace and stability promote the advancement of US trading relations in Europe. Today, one of the closest allies to the US in Germany. The nation stands at the core of European affairs and runs a key leadership role in NATO aimed at organizing and advancing peace and stability. Collective defense is a framework for enhancing forward peace, freedom, and stability that the United States aimed at supporting the unification of Germany. Again, the unification of Germany was a symbolic end of WWII, critical support of American interests. The agreement that the former German territory would not be remilitarized by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was the impact of the lengthy negotiations. This presented an unthinkable situation that the US wished for. Critically and equally, the United States extended its trust in democracy since the Soviets were forced to take a hard decision without the triumphalism on the view that the US has won the cold war and the Soviets lost. Although the reunification risked an enticed association of Germany with the Soviet Union to return east territories with the promise of markets, the reunification was beneficial.

• Did the United States play any role in the current Korean conflict?

The United States policy of containment has played a role in the current Korean War. The war started in the 1950s when North Korea entered the boundary established between North Korea and South Korea, the 38th parallel after World War II. Since the start of the cold war, the US got widely involved in containment efforts to stop the spread of communism in different parts of the world. For its part, the Soviet Union had successfully rooted this ideology in Korea. Therefore, the war intensified when the US entered the war to support South Korea. This has left unending and lasting diplomatic and political effects. 

• Why would the United States be such an important player in the potential reunification of Korea?

After the armistice agreement to ensure peace between north and South Korea, the United States still has a crucial role to ensure the reunification of Korea. The United States has strong ties with the south and mobilized efforts in attaining unification will be easy. However, growing missile and nuclear threats posed by North Korea may challenge unification efforts (Baxter, 2020). The United States has the military and financial capability to use aggressive countermeasures against any potential friction of the north towards reconciliation efforts. Moreover, the US has the rationale to convince North Korean allies such as China and the Soviet Union and plan an alternative better future for the Korean peninsula.

References

Brands, H. (2018). Choosing primacy: US strategy and global order at the dawn of the post-cold war era (February 2018). Texas national security review.

Baxter, D. (2020). Paving the Way for Peace: US Restraint on the Korean Peninsula. Retrieved from https://jqas.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/MPF-Final-Paper-Daniel-Baxter.pdf

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