Until this week, the West had been acting as if it had a "situation of strength" in West Germany. No matter what Russians might promise, no matter how much Germans might hesitate, the West pushed forward with its offer to West Germany: we will stop occupying your country if you will let us stay as defenders; we will give you almost complete sovereignty if you will arm on our side.
Almost everybody had some misgivings, but these were held to be old-fashioned and proof of bad sportsmanship and failure to recognize the...
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