TLS, two pages, 7 x 9, War Department, Office of the Chief of Staff letterhead, March 9, 1946. Letter to Master Sergeant Arnold Meccner, in full: "I have your recent letter and I appreciate your interest in the problem of re-educating the German nation toward a more democratic way of life. In general, our policy on German re-education is founded on the concept that re-education must ultimately come from the Germans themselves. The contribution which the Allied occupation authorities can make toward German re-education is of necessity a limited one. We can point the way, provide initial guidance and control, and maintain this control as long as there is a Military Government in Germany, but we cannot forcibly re-indoctrinate the Germans if we are to obtain the desired results.
Up until now, our accomplishments in German re-education have been largely on the negative side, limited principally to purging the German educational system of Nazi influences. This phase of our work was a necessary and continuing one and there is no thought of relinquishing our control until Nazi ideology has been eradicated.
At the same time, we are setting out on a more positive educational program. We are going to give the initial push to the Germans to get them going in the right direction and we will exercise the supervision necessary to maintain this course. This program does not simply concern itself with German educational institutions in the narrower sense, but is to a large degree concerned with the media of public information in Germany, such as the press, radio, film industry, and similar means of contacting large groups. I hope that this letter will give you a clearer picture of what has been done and what is planned for the re-education of the German nation toward democracy." In fine condition, with intersecting folds and light staining.
In the aftermath of World War II, occupying American troops undertook a drastic 'denazification' initiative to re-educate the German population with democratic ideals. In October 1945, Eisenhower expressed that it would 'take fifty years of hard work' to undo the damage that had been done under Hitler's regime. Due to the advent of the Cold War and a lack of Allied manpower, these efforts were turned over to the Germans in March 1946—yet, Ike maintains that "there is no thought of relinquishing our control until Nazi ideology has been eradicated," and presents a forward-looking plan for progress. A truly remarkable letter on the historic efforts to rebuild Germany into a Western-minded democratic nation.
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