Military Review English Edition July-August 2014 | Page 98
defensive in nature. What better way to show that than
by sprouting the landscape with “Little Americas”?
Another reason for U.S. families being stationed in
Germany was to project U.S. soft power by having
citizens serve as goodwill ambassadors. Although, on
occasion this backfired as cultural differences surfaced
between German citizens and U.S. family members.
GIs in Germany argues that the real reason for family
member presence in Germany was to ensure good
order and discipline among U.S. soldiers. By 1950, G.I.s
had brought 20,000 war brides back to the United
States, and most unfortunate by 1955, there were
37,000 out-of-wedlock German and Austrian children
fathered by U.S. servicemen.
The U.S. military is comin