Support the Military Forces, Their Families and the Local Populations

Abstract

Once it became apparent that US forces would be deployed for some considerable time, the US War Department underwrote and encouraged occupation service member participation in programs and activities akin to those in hometown America. This commitment explains many of the nuances of US life in occupied Germany: the athletic programs, movie theaters, college and technical courses offered, layout of the local newspapers, household provisions for sale in the Post Exchanges, and ice cream parlors providing favorite US flavors. The US Army even corralled German breweries in several areas within its occupation zone to provide good German beer to the troops. Of course, various US beers, for example, Budweiser in an olive drab can, continued to be shipped overseas. Various considerations buttressed this position, ranging from retaining the authorized personnel strength in occupied Germany to providing incentives to placate troops waiting to return to the USA or to entice others to volunteer for occupation duty.¹