Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
History
Date of Award
12-2022
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Stephen G. Fritz
Committee Members
Henry J. Antkiewicz, John M. Rankin
Abstract
The end of the Second World War brought many questions to the United States. One of the greatest among these was what to do with defeated Germany. Many clamored for the dissolution of the former Nazi State and the shameful humbling of its people while others recognized the value of a revitalized Germany as an ally against the looming threat of an emboldened and empowered postwar Soviet Union. Though retribution held sway immediately following the war, the Cold War consensus of an alliance with West Germany and a reimagining of the German people as victims rather than perpetrators won out as the years progressed. This work examines this evolving shift in perception by the United States and its people and how it can be tracked through several prominent films of the day.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Wentz, Kaleb, "Power in Portrayal: An Exploration of the Evolving Cold War Relationship Between Germany and America through Film" (2022). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4130. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4130
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
European History Commons, Other History Commons, Public History Commons, Social History Commons, United States History Commons