60 Years of German-American Relations | People & Politics

The American occupation after World War II was a culture shock for Germans. The GIs brought a free press,democratic values - and swing music,chewing gum,cowboy romance and Care packages.While Germans admire and love the American Way of Life,the policies of the superpower have repeatedly come under protest - during the 1960s student revolts,the 1980s decision to deploy midrange missiles in Europe,and the 2003 Iraq War. The former State premier of Saxony,Kurt Biedenkopf,was one of the first German exchange students in the US in the late 1940s. John Kornblum helped shape US-German ties as diplomat and US Ambassador in Berlin.