1st Edition

Relationships/Beziehungsgeschichten Austria and the United States in the Twentieth Century

By Gunter Bischof Copyright 2015
    250 Pages
    by Studien Verlag, Austria

    After the breakup of the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austrian-American relationship was one of a dwarf confronting a giant. America continued to offer a better life for many Austrian emigrants, while for America the small Austrian Republic was insignificant. However, there were times when Austria mattered geopolitically. During the post - World War II occupation of Austria, the US helped reconstruct Austria economically and was the biggest champion of its independence. During the Cold War, the US frequently used Austria as a mediator site for summit meetings. Austria adopted American mass-production models and consumerism, while its youth adopted American popular culture. Americanization and American preponderance also produced anti-American feelings. With Austria's accession to the European Union at the end of the Cold War, it once again lost significance within Washington's geopolitics.

    Biography

    Gunter Bischof is the Marshall Plan Professor of History and director of Center Austria at the University of New Orleans.