> You know the USA still has troops in Germany... after 50 odd years. 
> And
> Germany was one of the "friendly", real "liberation" type cases.

Warning: Set history mode on.

Actually, with no intention of being ornery, that's about as far from 
true as you can get.

When "The Allies" entered Germany it was as storming conquerors of a 
vile enemy. The Allies' actions immediately prior to that had included 
numerous purposeful mass killing of clustered civilian populations. 
(This is a matter of historical fact - the motivations and 
justifications will be forever debated.) Nothing of this magnitude has 
been carried out against civilians by "the west" subsequently. (By 
others, certainly). Compared to that the US treatment of eg North 
Vietnam was benign. If they had treated North Vietnam as they had 
Germany then victory would have been assured - but there would have 
been far fewer losers to be victorious over. And the Russian's (part 
of the same "Allies") attitude to the Germans was worse. Wherever 
possible, all women were raped in the initial Russian advance through 
Germany*. Civilian males' lives were at the whim of the invaders. Even 
when things "settled down" over the next few years the "illegitimate" 
birth rate in Berlin was for several years vastly greater due to the 
commonness of rape. (If doubtful Google for "monument to the unknown 
rapist" and "tomb of the unknown rapist" for comment on this).  This 
is all historical fact, albeit you may need to read Western histories 
but also read some German war histories written near the event (as I 
have done) to get a balanced picture.

My point is, Germany became a great ally of the US, but it took some 
years for this to happen. And the cold war events helped this happen 
majorly.

The initial liberation was of Europe from the Germans. NOBODY was 
there to liberate Germany from anything. Despite what Hitler had done, 
the Allies policy of "unconditional surrender" had driven the Germans 
to an all or nothing response. The friendship grew as the bona fides 
of the 'invaders" were established by their long term deeds.

US troop presence 50 years on is NOT as a conqueror or occupier, 
although a minority see it this way. Given time US presence may indeed 
become so objectionable to those who forget that they will be required 
to leave (as in eg the Philippines). Up until 1989 such an idea would 
have been unthinkable. How quickly we forget :-(.


        RM

* A bit of digging will reveal that about 25% of all Russians - 
approaching 50 million people (far more than usually claimed), died 
around the time of WW2. A small part of these (say under 5 million?) 
would have been part of Stalin's grand efforts but mixed up in WW2 
figures BUT the Russians had vast reasons to hate the Germans as they 
did. It matters not that Stalin would almost certainly attacked 
Germany in due course if Hitler hadn't attacked first. Alternate 
histories can be rererewritten forever).




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