Publication details
The adaptation of the German military after the end of the Cold War. From territorial defence to expeditionary military
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2014 |
| Type | Chapter of a book |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Attached files | |
| Description | After the end of the Cold War, German security policy underwent changes, responding to new parameters of the international security environment and changing priorities of German society. The most crucial change that differentiates today’s German security policy from the policy adopted in the period of the Cold War is an extensive use of the Bundeswehr in expeditionary operations and gradual adjustment of the Bundeswehr to the needs resulting from such a policy. In the course of the German military transformation new security threats started to be accentuated. The shift in defining Bundeswehr’s main missions was reflected in the change of its size, structure, and equipment of the forces. Germany was also to abolish compulsory military service. However, the main vision of the soldier as a citizen of state in uniform remains untouched. In sum, the main trends in the reform of the German military are similar to other Western militaries. Nevertheless, its implementation was slower than in other NATO countries. |