A balance-of-power argument that completely discounts the role played by the United States has been employed in a recent attempt to explain both the origins of European integration and the Continent's recent difficulties. This thesis sets out to rebut these notions through an examination of the historical record. Such an examination makes it clear that France and West Germany's reasons for pursuing the integration of Western Europe were grounded in these states' relationships with one another within the postwar context, not in their fear of Soviet aggression. France, after all, was seeking to rebuild itself and hold down the Germans after the war, while West Germany was seeking to regain its sovereignty. Further, it is clear from the historical record that the role played by the United States in the earliest iterations of postwar European integration was critical and should not be discounted.
","abstract_html":"<p>A balance-of-power argument that completely discounts the role played by the United States has been employed in a recent attempt to explain both the origins of European integration and the Continent's recent difficulties. This thesis sets out to rebut these notions through an examination of the historical record. Such an examination makes it clear that France and West Germany's reasons for pursuing the integration of Western Europe were grounded in these states' relationships with one another within the postwar context, not in their fear of Soviet aggression. France, after all, was seeking to rebuild itself and hold down the Germans after the war, while West Germany was seeking to regain its sovereignty. Further, it is clear from the historical record that the role played by the United States in the earliest iterations of postwar European integration was critical and should not be discounted.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Brienzo, Andrew J."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"M.A.","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Rachel Epstein, Ph.D.","Lewis Griffith, Ph.D.","Lisa Conant"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:19Z","subjects":["Adenauer","Eisenhower","European Coal and Steel Community","European Union","Monnet","Truman","International Relations","Political Science"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
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"],"dc:subject":["Adenauer","Eisenhower","European Coal and Steel Community","European Union","Monnet","Truman","International Relations","Political Science"],"dc:title":["Rethinking Rosato: Understanding the Genesis of European Integration"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.A."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:19Z"}