Trivia Question

[Klaus]

Germany is occupied? By what? Turkish people who try to sell you Kebap?

[Horch]

If I recall, the U.S.A. has troops still stationed over there. There was never a official treaty or the like.They are still technically an occupied Country as far as I know. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think so.

[Klaus]

Well there are still some Americans stationed. Ramstein for example. But I wouldn't call it occupation.

[Brett]

Originally Posted by Klaus

Hm...Vergeltungswaffe 1? I believe the only thing that went higher were the Germans expectations to win the war.

Curses! I only took 3rd place in my own trivia contest!

[Klaus]

Don't beat yourself up! Things like that happen all the time. Mostly they happen to me. So I am glad that this happened to you for once.

[Horch]

Unconditional surrender was the last I know of. There has been no formal 'treaty' that I'm aware of. Like I stated..technically..occupied. I am of German blood. I am not attempting to start trouble here. I would like to see Germany be a free Nation.

[Jim O]

Originally Posted by Horch

Unconditional surrender was the last I know of. There has been no formal 'treaty' that I'm aware of. Like I stated..technically..occupied. I am of German blood. I am not attempting to start trouble here. I would like to see Germany be a free Nation.

West Germany was proclaimed on May 23, 1949 and was given full sovereignty on May 5, 1955 by the US, UK, and France.

Technically there is no treaty, but de facto Germany is no longer "occupied". A nation does not maintain diplomatic relations with a nation with whom they are at war. Germany is fully responsible for her internal and external affairs, borders, currency, etc. Germany was able to expel Soviet "occupiers" after West and East Germany re-united, and I imagine that if they wanted, they could get expel US forces. Having foreign troops stationed on its soil does not make a nation occupied. If it did, then Japan would still be occupied despite there being a formal peace treaty with the US and most Allies. Many NATO member countries could also be considered "occupied". The Soviet Union never signed a peace treaty with Japan and neither did mainland China (Taiwan did) but neither state would argue that a state of war exists as they maintain diplomatic and trade relations.

Treaties are legal documents which codify the status quo on the ground and deal with issues such as reparations and displaced civilian populations. Just as a formal declaration of war is no longer always required to be at war (just look at US history over the years since World War II), neither is a formal treaty necessary to end one.

[Klaus]

Well done Jim. It would have taken me hours to write it that way.

Austria was left alone in 1955. First the russians left (September) and then the western allies (25. Oktober). But there are somtimes russian, swiss, french, british and american troops stationed in Austria for some time. They come here to get training as "Hochgebirgsjäger".

[Horch]

I agree with a lot of your post Jim O. Still..........
Your last paragraph though, is wrong. A declaration of war by Congress is STILL required by the Constitution. Unfortunatly those spinless ya-hoos in Washington (Congress) allow these illegal wars to perpetuate.As far as troops being stationed,I got a kick out of Equador. The US wants to have a military base there and Equador says no. They (Equador) said the US can build a base in Equador , if Equador could build one in the US.

[Klaus]

Seems fair to me.