“A work that is both comprehensive and comprehensible. . . . Although other historians have examined the domestic struggle in the Federal Republic, none has done it quite as well as Large.” — International History Review
“Thoroughly researched, balanced in its analysis, superbly written, Large’s book is highly recommended for readers at any level with an interest in modern Germany.” — CHOICE
“The strength of Large’s book lies in its investigation of the West German debate at the institutional level: chancellor, president, parliament, churches, and federal court.” — American Historical Review
“An important contribution to a broader exploration of how West Germans were defined by others and defined themselves in the first decade of their history.” — Central European History
“Compelling in its understanding of the complexity of a debate at the cross-roads of domestic, foreign, economic, political and security considerations.” — German History
“An extremely impressive, well-written, and well-researched account of a critical period in the history of modern Germany and the Cold War. [This] is an important book for all who wish to understand how the Germans responded to the American call for arms only five years after their most bitter defeat.” — Thomas Schwartz, Vanderbilt University
