Volume 3 in the Cold War Berlin mini-series for Helion looks at how the American garrison began as a short-term occupation force and developed into a sizeable self-sufficient military community. It examines the units deployed to this peacekeeping mission, how they were organised and supported the combat forces, how the garrison itself was policed, and how the citizens of West Berlin went from being controlled to being empowered. It studies lesser known units such as the short-lived US Constabulary, the last active horse platoon in the US Army, and the civilian 6941st Guard Battalion. It also looks at how ‘soft power’ was projected to the citizens of West Berlin and their communist neighbours.

 

It covers the garrison from their arrival in July 1945, through the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961, its fall in 1989, and German re-unification the following year, to the departure of American Berlin Brigade in 1994. Volume 4, due in summer 2023 will cover the plans for the defence of West Berlin in the event of a direct confrontation with the East.

 

The text is richly illustrated with photographs, illustrations, diagrams, tables, maps, plans, and colour profiles, and is printed in full colour throughout.

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