Forging the Shield : the U.S. Army in Europe, 1951-1962 / by Donald A. Carter.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

Carter, Donald A., 1955- author.

Contributor:

Center of Military History, issuing body.

Series:

U.S. Army in the Cold War series

CMH pub ; 45-3-1.

Army historical series

CMH pub ; 45-3-1

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Army, Europe and Seventh Army--History--20th century.

United States.

United States. Army, Europe and Seventh Army.

United States--Armed Forces--Europe--History--20th century.

Europe--Military relations--United States.

Europe.

United States--Military relations--Europe.

Armed Forces.

Military relations.

Genre:

Online resources.

History.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xxi, 513 pages) : illustrations, maps.

Distribution:

Washington, DC : For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office

Other Title:

United States Army in Europe, 1951-1962

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : Center of Military History, United States Army, 2015.

Summary:

This illustrated book that includes tables, charts, and maps primarily discusses the role of USAREUR (US Army Europe) in rearming and training the new German Army which was perhaps the Army's single greatest contribution toward maintaining security in Western Europe. Likewise, the relationship between American soldiers and their French and West German hosts evolved over time and is a critical element in telling the story of the US Army in Europe.

"Forging the Shield by author Donald A. Carter, tells the story of U.S. Army forces in Europe during the 1950s and early 1960s. It spans the period between the return of major U.S. combat forces to Germany in 1951 and the aftermath of the Berlin crisis in 1961-1962. During that time, the troops in Europe became the public face of the Army to Americans as well as to the rest of the world. The service directed almost all of its training, equipment and force development toward that potential day when its troops would face Soviet divisions streaming through the Fulda Gap and into Germany. The establishment of a credible conventional deterrent in Germany, backed up with nuclear forces, was one of the central linchpins of the U.S. strategy of containment of Soviet power. This important volume tells the story of the U.S. Army in the early days of the Cold War as our commitment evolved into the multigenerational defense of Europe and the values of freedom."--Publisher's description.

Contents:

Setting The Stage : Germany in 1950 ; The emerging threat and the move toward collective security ; The European command in 1950 ; Perceptions of a rising threat

The New Mission : Building the Seventh Army ; Growing pains ; Reorganization and realignment ; Identifying the threat ; Firepower and mobility: the Seventh Army's conventional doctrine ; Early thoughts on an Atomic Option ; Development of the communications zone ; Logistical support for the new mission ; Berlin, 1951-1952: Standing fast and showing the flag ; End of the beginning

Growing Into The Role : 1953: Cold War takes a new turn ; Keeping a watchful eye to the East ; Changes in command and combat readiness ; The Seventh Army goes nuclear ; Manning the force: USAREUR's personnel pipeline ; Additions and subtraction: organizational changes in USAREUR and the Seventh Army ; Hardening the support structure ; Settling in for the long haul ; Noncombatant evacuation exercises ; A steadying influence

Strengthening The Alliance : Building NATO's military capabilities ; Integrating USAREUR into the NATO command structure ; Army support for military assistance programs in Europe ; The military liaison missions and the USAREUR Soviet Relations Advisory Committee ; Moving the alliance forward

Rearming The Germans : Working toward a German contribution to Western European defense ; Designing a structure for German integration

The European Defense Community ; USAREUR planning for German Army assistance ; Final plans for training the new German Army ; Building a new German Army ; Completing the German Army assistance program

1955: A Year Of Transition : The new look comes to USAREUR ; Striving for combat readiness ; Operation Gyroscope ; The end of the occupation in Austria ; The effect of German sovereignty on U.S. Forces in Europe ; Reaching an uneasy equilibrium

Achieving Atomic Mindedness : The "spirit of Geneva" evaporates ; Eisenhower versus the Generals: the Army struggles to find a role within the new look ; New leadership in USAREUR ; The effect of funding cuts on USAREUR ; Training for atomic warfare ; Pentomic reorganization ; Adapting the logistical support structure to Atomic Warfare ; Complications of alliance defense planning

Second Thoughts : The "new look" gets a new look ; Putting pentomic to the test ; Other training ; Rethinking concept C and COMZ realignment ; The U.S. Army Southern European Task Force ; Tying up loose ends ; Managing dependents ; Reconsiderations

Approaching Stalemate : Re-evaluating the enemy

USAREUR's role in the American intervention in Lebanon ; The 1958 Berlin Crisis ; Learning to live with the status quo

Getting Along With The Neighbors : The transfer of military liaison functions from the office of the High Commissioner to the European Command ; Monitoring and controlling the message ; Bones of contention: Major points of friction between German civilians and the US Army ; Learning to get along at the local level: orientation and goodwill programs ; Maintaining the relationships ; Fitting in with the French ; Charities and disaster relief: being a good neighbor when it counted ; A convergence of cultures

Elvis goes to Europe

The Berlin Crisis : "A bone in the throat" ; Khrushchev renews his ultimatum ; The Wall ; Confrontation at checkpoint Charlie ; Winding down the confrontation

From New Look To Flexible Response : Looking beyond Berlin: the strategic environment in 1961 ; Creating a new division ; Equipping the force for flexible response ; New priorities ; Distractions ; Looking toward the future

Conclusion: Defining An Era

Bibliographical note

Acronyms

Map symbols

Index

Tables:

No-1: US Army strength in Europe, January 1951-December 1952

No-2: Seventh Army logistical support

Charts:

No-1: Organization structure of the European Command as of 31 December 1950

No-2: Organization Structure of the United States Army, Europe, 1 August 1952

No-3: Organizational structure Seventh Army, 31 January 1952

No-4: Allied command Europe

Maps:

No-1: Occupied zones of Germany, August 1945

No-2: Seventh Army deployment zones, West Germany, 1951

No-3: US Army, Europe, area commands, 1 December 1952

No-4: Primary approaches for Soviet attack

No-5: European command, Bremerhaven lines of communication

No-6: Lines of communication, France, 1950s

No-7: US Army, Europe, family housing West Germany, 30 June 1953

No-8: US Army training cadres West German Army troop training schools, 1956

No-9: US Army tactical and maintenance teams, West German Divisions, February-June 1957

No-10: NATO/USAREUR War plan, Lech-Weser line, 1955

No-11: Seventh Army command, West Germany, 1957

No-12: Seventh Army defense lines, West Germany, 1957

No-13: Nike missile sites, 30 June 1958

No-14: Eastern Mediterranean area, 1958

No-15: Beirut and vicinity, Lebanon, 1958

No-16: Berlin crossing points, 1961

No-17: Seventh Army dispositions in 1962

No-18: Allied forces, Central Europe, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, 1962.

Illustrations:

General Thomas Handy, September 1949

Lieutenant General Manton S Eddy, August 1950

12th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, in Dorningheim, October 1951

Company A, 1st Engineer Battalion build a ferry

19th Infantry patrol near Hanau, October 1951

Soldiers conceal M26 tank near Hanau, October 1951

V Corps Artillery Fire Support Control Center

Situation map for exercise combine, October 1951

Armored half track of the aggressor forces during exercise Combine, October 1951

Field dental clinic, December 1952

Soldiers prepare fried chicken during a field exercise, November 1952

Headquarters, 7917th Labor Supervision Detachment, Fontenet tent area, January 1952

571st Ordnance Ammunition Command, Captieux, France

LACM pulls up to a floating dock and crane

USNS Private Francis X McGraw at Le Tur Belle, France

Troops unloading at La Pallice, France, April 1953

East German border guards and tank, 19 June 1953

Soviet tanks in Berlin, June 1953

Lieutenant General Charles Bolte, January 1953

Marshal of France Alphonse Juin and General Hoge

106-mm recoilless rifle, October 1953

Major General James Gavin checks map coordinates

Brigadier General Raymond Bell, Lieutenant General Anthony McAuliffe Major General Ira Swift, French General Marcel Carpentier

43d Infantry Battalion and 67th tank Battalion, 2d Armored Division, move into attack position

Heavy tank company from 6th Infantry in Grunewald

43d Infantry Division conducting reconnaissance with "westland" forces in Gresenhren

Soldiers of Company K, 110th Infantry, move through the outskirts of Gerberstein

280-mm cannon, October 1955

1st Gun Section, Battery B, 59th Field Artillery Battalion

Gun crew of the 91st Anti-Aircraft Artillery battalion

Battery B 26th Field Artillery, 9th Infantry Division, October 1955

5-gallon gas cans ready for stacking

M47 tank

Housing project at Gelnhausen

Star and stripes was available in all PXs

Brigadier General George Rehn, General Lauris Norstad, and Major General Dean Strother

General Mathew Ridgeway inspects French troops at Baderces

General Alfred Gruenther inspects the 2d Armored Division Honor Guard

Marshal of France General Alphonse Juin

General Hodes greets General Heusinger at the Heidelberg Airstrip, 21 June 1956

German Army trainees attend class on the American carbine

American instructor holds class on the carbine

Small-unit tactics being taught at German Army Officer Candidate School

Engineer technique course at German Army Officer Candidate School

Honest John and launcher at Darmstadt on Armed Forces Day 1956

General Hart and General Hodes discuss exercise Cordon Bleu

Corporal missile at White Sands, New Mexico, October 1955

Tanks from 1st Battalion, 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment, during exercise Cordon Bleu

Aggressor forces in Dinkelsbühl during exercise Cordon Bleu

Real injury is evacuated during exercise Cordon Bleu

Troops board a train to Bremerhaven to take them to Kaiserslautern

Soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division arrive as part of operation Gyroscope

Soldier and his family are met by Major General E D Post

Aerial view of the Böblingen housing area, August 1955

350th Infantry prepare to case the unit colors

Soviet tanks in Budapest, 1956

Tanks and wreckages outside Killian Barracks in Budapest

General Taylor, 1st Lieutenant Robert Breckenridge, and Brigadier General Stanton Babcock

Paul Simmon and Herman Hagen view the Nike missile display at Campbell Barracks

Secretary of the Army Wilbur Brucker and General Hodes

General Clarke

280-mm gun is loaded onto British raft "Alice"

V Corps communication venter during Command Post exercise Summer Stock

Explosion from 3-5-in rocket

Gun jeep with 106-mm recoilless rifle

SETAF's 543d Field Artillery Missile Battalion prepares a Corporal missile

M59 armored personnel carrier

Soldiers board and H-34 helicopter

Corporal erector

Corporal missile ready for launch

General Clyde D. Eddleman

H-34 helicopter airlifts a 105-mm howitzer

Jeep equipped with recoilless rifles attached to an H-34 helicopter

Field maintenance shop in Rheinau

Corpsman administer Salk vaccine to US dependents

SETAF helicopter transports a small chapel to the summit of Mt. Grignone

Rear Admiral Sherman R Clark and Major General John P Daly

2d ACR trooper checks an East German guard tower near Hof, Germany

Russian military missile display

Tanks moving through Red Square

1st Airborne Battle Group, 187th Infantry, 24th Infantry Division unloads west of Beirut

Soldiers of the 1st Airborne Battle group move out after landing at Beirut airport

Major General Paul D Adams

Soldiers catch up on the news in a foxhole in Beirut

Lifeguard on a sand made of C-rations watches soldiers swim in the Mediterranean

Airborne Annie helps soldiers lay wire in Lebanon

187th Infantry, 1st Airborne Battle Group on patrol

German child meets a man portraying a Native American in Mannheim

Red Diamond chorus and German orphans sing Christmas carols

Santa visits the children of Friedberg Kinderheim, December 1955

Sargent Elvis Presley briefs his reconnaissance team

Construction of the wall around Brandenburg Gate

Wall of same looking for East Berlin

1st Battle Group, 18th Infantry, passes Helmstedt checkpoint

1st Battle Group, 18th Infantry, waits at Helmstedt checkpoint

US MPs on the West Berlin side of Wilhelmstrasse

US armed patrol escorts a USAREUR-registered civilian vehicle into East Berlin

Reinforced rifle squad preparing to set up on border

Allied entry pint to East Berlin at checkpoint Charlie

Davy Crockett in Jeep mounted mode

Three-man crew prepares the Davy Crockett

Lieutenant General Garrison H Davidson

Battery A, 1st Battalion, 2d Artillery, 8th Infantry Division during Exercise Wintershield II.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 471-485) and index.

Online resource, PDF version; title from title page (viewed May12, 2017).

Other Format:

Print version: Carter, Donald A., 1955- Forging the Shield

OCLC:

986994931