Critique of U.S. Strategic Thinking in Cold War Germany

The discussion centers around the reception and adaptation of U.S. strategic thinking by West Germany during the Cold War, particularly in relation to maneuver warfare. A prevailing narrative suggested that maneuver warfare had German origins and was notably successful in World War II, which some scholars like John Boyd endorsed. However, historians argue that this portrayal oversimplifies history, as maneuver strategies were misconstrued by German generals seeking to rehabilitate their reputation post-war. This misalignment of historical representation and actual military effectiveness contributed to a flawed understanding of how these strategies would play out in a modern context against the backdrop of nuclear warfare.