Page 181 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo II

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a first step towards rebuilding, reconstructuring and an establishment of new and better
governance regarding the times after war – definitely not been seen as such by those who
will directly involved. It was later up to the international Allies to establish new good
governance, specifically after the attempt from inside Germany failed latestly in July.
Besides all human needs, it was clear that Europe has to be rebuilt, in certainty not with
an attempt like 1918/1919. Operation OVERLORD was as military operation finally a
starting step towards a larger comprehensive process aiming for peace and stability in
the middle of Europe in a long-term perspective. Following such an understanding and
interpretation will lead to a couple of new questions and research requirements specifi-
cally with regard to the occurring East-West conflict in the late forties and beginning
fifties as well as to the intentions of the Soviet Union regarding or disregarding such an
approach for East Germany.
But new questions in this direction could lead to a different understanding of military
activities during missions and operations in general instead of trying to return to the old
traditional operational history, by retelling military campaigns isolated from its environ-
ment.
By understanding military actions always as part of a larger process, military history
could contribute more than today to the political and social history and follows the gen-
eral attempt of interdisciplinarity and a fully integrated approach. A new paper could be
named: “Military operations as part of a comprehensive approach”. 13

13 Special thanks to my students, Daniel Epkenhans and Florian Weishaupt, for their research contribution.