Book Description
Have you ever heard of the American occupation of the Rhineland after World War I? When the war in Europe was over on November 11th, 1918, an American Army of Occupation comprising 250,000 men started moving from France towards the east. Their destination: The Rhine. In the armistice, Germany had granted the victorious powers the right to occupy the Rhineland. And so it happened that thousands and thousands of young Americans came to a land full of castles, vineyards and centuries-old traditions. In their headquarters in Koblenz, the American Army of Occupation controlled large areas along the rivers Rhine and Mosel. Not only did they get to know the local customs, they also brought their own culture with them. Donuts, baseball or American football became a common thing in the Rhineland. And last but not least, there were the German Fräuleins that attracted the young Americans. Only in 1923, the last occupation troops left the Rhineland. Today, this part of German-American history is almost completely forgotten. The German historian Marc Holzheimer intends to change this. In his book, he retells the story of the American Occupation of the Rhineland. It covers the events along Rhine and Mosel as well as the political context in international affairs. Furthermore, the book contains plenty of contemporary photographs, which allow the reader to get a real impression of the occupation time. The American Occupation of the Rhineland, 1918-1923 - worth reading for anyone who is interested in history!