The “Redefinition” of Germany and Europe's Peace
| Published date | 01 March 1947 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002070204700200102 |
| Date | 01 March 1947 |
| Author | Michael A. Heilperin |
| Subject Matter | Article |
The
"Redefinition"
of
Germany
and
Europe's
Peace
Michael
A.
Heilperin
M
ore
than
a
year after
the
surrender
of
Germany,
notonlydoes
Europe
present
a
picture
of
disorganization
and
confusion
but
no
official
plans
have
been
made
public
for
effectively
deal-
ing
with
the
future
of
that
distressed
continent.
The
basic
reason
for
this
state
of
affairs
is
the failure
to
settle
definitively
the
fate
of
the
German
state.,
Unless
this
is
done,
and
until
it
is
done, it
will
be impossible
to
make realistic
plans
for
the
reconstruction
of
France,
Belgium,
and
Holland,
indeed
of
Italy
and
Great
Bri-
tain.
Nor
will
it
be possible
to
reduce
or
eliminate
the
atmos-
phere
of
suspicion
and
unrest
that
poisons
the relations
between
East
and
West.
The
resumption
of
normal
international
trade
with
European
countries,
and
the
flow
of
investment
funds
to-
wards
Europe
also
await
the
settlement
of
the
German problem.
In
the
meantime,
day
follows
upon
day
and
it
seems
that
those concerned
are
riding
off
in
all
possible
directions,
avoid-
ing
carefully, however,
that
crucial
problem
of
peacemaking.
But
time
does
not
stand
still.
Germans
who
were
displaced
by
the
Allied
bombings
of
the
Rhineland
and
of
the
Rifhr,
as
well
as
Germans
expelled
from
Poland
and
Czechoslovakia
and
from
areas placed
at
Potsdam
under
Polish
occupation,
are
moving
back
West,
which will
considerably
aggravate
the
difficulties
of
an
eventual
settlement.
Also
the
impression
is
being
given
abroad
that
there
is
no
intention
of
changing
the
Western
bor-
ders
of
Germany,
in
spite
of
French
demands
to
the
contrary,
an
impression
greatly
enhanced
by
Secretary
Byrnes'
Stuttgart
speech.
The
longer
a
final
settlement
is
postponed
the
more
difficult
it
will
become
to
adopt
a
bold
and
imaginative
approach
to
the
problem
of
redefining
Germany
and
of
reorganizing Europe.
A
redefinition
of
Germany and
the
reorganization
of
Europe
are
the
two
interrelated
matters
which
jointly
represent
the
crux
of
the
European
peace
settlement.
On
their treatment
will
de-
pend
the
question
whether
Europe
is
to
experience
durable
peace
16
To continue reading
Request your trial