Germany Since 1945

Defeat and unconditional surrender were the foundations on which postwar Germany was built. The overall impact however was not apathy but a mentality which was down to earth pragmatic and forward-looking. Crucial structures survived which contributed to West Germany''s phenomenal recovery while the East was forced to submit to a ruthless Soviet leadership. Kettenacker''s book offers a fascinating survey of the fortunes and features of East and West Germany--how the two states drifted apart; the differences between their economies politics and cultures; and the problems and events surrounding their recent unification.