Date of Award

5-1989

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Departmental Honors

Department

Political Science

Abstract

"'There is an embarrassment ... about trying to force people to have freedom."'1 This statement, given in 1943 by Stringfellow Barr, a member of the General Advisory Committee on Reeducation for the State Department, proved to be prophetic for the reeducation and denazification efforts of the United States in post-war Germany. Faced with a lack of consensus about policy goals, a severe shortage of resources, a scarcity of qualified Germans untainted by National Socialism, and a decimated educational infrastructure, the direct results of reeducation were predestined to be meager. However, if democracy was to take root and flourish in Germany this time around, these efforts were critical. Experience had shown that the mere establishment of the outward forms of democratic government was worthless -- what was needed was an inner spirit to give them meaning. This was the task of reeducation.

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Faculty Mentor

Departmental Honors Advisor

Capstone Committee Member