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Recover is a relative term.

The western part of Germany was occupied by French, British and Americans in 1945. After an initial period of a year or so when hundreds of thousands, if not millions of German POWs and civilians were starved to death, these three nations began to send minimal aid. In particular Britain began assisting with food early in their occupation. Germany thus stabilized somewhat in the west by 1947 or so.

Later, with infusions of capital from the west, the highly intelligent and industrious German people were able to rebuild their industrial base - making autos and technically sophisticated equipment.

Gradually the physical scars of the war were healed and the millions of refugees settled. Groups of POWs from France, where about 10,000 were worked to death in mines, were returned. Eventually the foreign military presence was reduced. Elections were held, under the close eye of the occupiers. Parliamentary democracy took hold. After some years western Germany was allowed to restart their military - although without the skilled general staff and with close oversight from non-Germans. Western Germany was even allowed to enter NATO. The Common Market was formed during this time which allowed freer trade, a prerequisite for any nation to enjoy greater economic improvement and higher standards of living.

Eastern Germany was not so lucky. Only about half of eastern Germany was allowed to be settled by Germans. The rest of the territory was stolen by Poles and Russians. Systematic looting, murder and rape went on for about three years, decimating the population. Gradually, seeing that the western part of Germany was improving, the Soviets had to do something to catch up. Eastern Germany was allowed to rebuild and in response to the western part joining NATO, the eastern part joined the Warsaw Pact. Despite all this, it is interesting to note that by 1980 the most wealthy nation in the entire world living under communism, was East Germany. Truly this is a testament to the German people.

Today Germany has reunited but the country is shrunken to about 60% the size it had in 1914, and probably to 30% the total area that the German speaking people once occupied in Europe. Over half the assets in Germany are foreign owned, the highest percentage of any major nation on earth. Germany is still occupied by foreign military forces, mainly American, although they have long been regarded as friends rather than invaders. Additionally, with the expansion and transition of the Common Market into the European Union, Germany has begun to exert greater world influence, they being the largest demographic and economic group in the EU.

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Germany is not in any sense under foreign occupation. It is a member of NATO and some US troops are stationed there within the context of NATO.

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13y ago

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