Waltzing into the Cold War: United States military operations in occupied Austria, 1945--1955

This study traces the U.S. military's role in the post-World War II occupation of Austria from the initial planning efforts in 1943 through the signing of the State Treaty and withdrawal of American troops in 1955. Chapters are organized thematically and in rough chronology analyzing, in turn, particular aspects of U.S. military operations as they proved critical to shaping events. The study is divided into three parts, each consisting of three chapters. The first part, chapters I thru III, examines planning, preparations, and implementation. It begins by describing the assumptions, preconceptions, practices, and traditions---the rhythm of habits that shaped the military's approach to post-conflict operations---and then examines how these factors affected the conduct of the occupation. The second part explores how the purpose and goals of the occupation changed with the onset of the Cold War. Chapters IV, V, and VI detail the critical roles played by intelligence operations, military decision-making, and contingency war planning in transforming the nature of the mission in Austria. Part three looks at the aftermath of the transformation, examining how the Army responded to its new responsibility as Cold War warriors. Chapters VII thru IX illustrate a process of militarization, a shift in the role of the occupation force from rehabilitating and reconstructing Austria to enlisting the state as a partner in the defense of NATO. The study concludes that the military's rhythm of habits exacerbated confrontations betweens the United States and the Soviet Union making occupied Austria one of the most contentious flashpoints in the early Cold War.