This course looks at the history of security and defence in Germany since the end of the Second World War. To understand the current state of German defence politics, it explores the history of Germany’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, within the context of international alliances, notably NATO and the European Union, and major turning points of post-1945 international history. It also considers the inner fabric of the Bundeswehr, including its personnel, traditions, and the relationship to German society. Why is it that Germans needed a Zeitenwende to respond to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine? How does the Bundeswehr differ from other Western armies? And what are the historical traditions underpinning current debates in security and defence in Germany? To address these question, the course draws on historical scholarship and recent political commentary. The goal of the course is to better understand German security and defence politics, but it also serves as an introduction to contemporary military and international history more broadly.
