A survey conducted in 2015 reveals differing perspectives between Americans and Germans regarding their countries' relationship, highlighting that 72% of Americans view Germany as a reliable ally, while 62% of Germans feel the same about the U.S. The survey also indicates significant generational differences in perceptions of key historical events affecting U.S.-German relations, such as WWII and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Additionally, Americans generally prefer a more active military role for Germany, whereas Germans tend to disagree, showcasing ongoing differences in foreign policy views.

1. Germany and the United States:
Reliable Allies With Differences

2. May 6, 2015 2www.pewresearch.org
Methodology
• Survey in the U.S. from February 26 to March 1, 2015 of 1,003
respondents
• Survey in Germany from February 24-25, 2015 of 963 respondents
• Based on nationally representative telephone interviews with adults 18
and older conducted under the direction of Princeton Survey Research
Associates International and TNS Emnid
• The margin of sampling error for the U.S. is ±3.7% and for Germany is
±4.7%

3. KEY TAKEAWAYS
May 6, 2015 3www.pewresearch.org

4. May 6, 2015 4www.pewresearch.org
An Overview of the German-American Relationship
72%
59
54
50
62%
26
25
41
U.S. Germany
U.S./Germany is a
reliable ally
U.S.-EU free trade deal
is a good thing
EU is not tough enough
with Russia on Ukraine
Germany should play a
more active military role

5. RECENT HISTORY IN THE AMERICAN AND GERMAN
CONSCIOUSNESS
May 6, 2015 5www.pewresearch.org

6. May 6, 2015 6www.pewresearch.org
WWII Most Important Event For Americans in U.S.-German
Relations; Fall of Berlin Wall for Germans
Which one of these events is most important to U.S.-German relations over the last 75 years?
47%
28
8
7
3
20%
34
8
12
20
U.S. Germany
World War II &
Holocaust
Marshall Plan
Disagreements
over Iraq War
U.S. monitoring of
Merkel's phone
Fall of the
Berlin Wall

7. World War II & Holocaust Most Important Events For about Half
of Young Americans
May 6, 2015 7www.pewresearch.org
Which one of these events is most important to U.S.-German relations over the last 75 years?
Total 18-29 30-49 50-64 65+
% % % % %
World War II &
Holocaust
47 51 47 49 40
Fall of the Berlin
Wall
28 24 30 27 28
Disagreements
over Iraq War
8 5 10 6 8
U.S. monitoring of
Merkel's phone
7 11 6 5 6
Marshall Plan 3 1 2 6 5

8. German Generational Differences on U.S.-German History
May 6, 2015 8www.pewresearch.org
Which one of these events is most important to U.S.-German relations over the last 75 years?
Total 18-29 30-49 50-64 65+
% % % % %
Fall of the Berlin
Wall
34 29 32 36 38
World War II &
Holocaust
20 25 20 18 17
Marshall Plan 20 13 15 24 27
U.S. monitoring of
Merkel's phone
12 20 14 12 5
Disagreements
over Iraq War
8 5 14 7 4

9. THE U.S.-GERMAN RELATIONSHIP TODAY
May 6, 2015 9www.pewresearch.org

10. May 6, 2015 10www.pewresearch.org
Americans, Especially Older Ones, See Germany as a
Reliable Ally
Germany is a very/somewhat reliable ally
72%
75
69
66
77
71
69
Total
Men
Women
18-29
65+
Democrat
Republican

11. May 6, 2015 11www.pewresearch.org
German Men, SPD Adherents Most Likely to See the U.S. as
a Reliable Ally
U.S. is a very/somewhat reliable ally
62%
68
56
58
63
66
59
74
66
Total
Men
Women
18-29
30-49
50-64
65+
SPD
CDU/CSU

12. May 6, 2015 12www.pewresearch.org
Americans, Germans Differ on Britain as a Reliable Ally
Percent saying __ is a very/somewhat reliable ally
U.S. Germany Britain France
% % % %
Americans – 72 85 69
Germans 62 – 55 78

13. May 6, 2015 13www.pewresearch.org
Higher Approval for Both Obama and Merkel by Germans
than by Americans
Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Obama is dealing with U.S.-German relations?
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Chancellor Merkel is dealing with U.S.-German relations?
40%
59
36%
31
23%
10
U.S.
Germany
Approve Disapprove Don't know
38%
71
27%
22
35%
7
U.S.
Germany
Approve Disapprove Don't know

14. GERMANY, THE U.S. AND THE WORLD
May 6, 2015 14www.pewresearch.org

15. May 6, 2015 15www.pewresearch.org
Half in U.S., Germany Prefer Their Country to Concentrate
on Domestic Rather than Foreign Problems
Our country should …
50%
50
39%
43
U.S.
Germany
Deal with its own problems
and let other countries deal
with their own problems
Help other countries
deal with their
problems

16. May 6, 2015 16www.pewresearch.org
Younger Americans and Germans Are More Parochial
Our country should deal with its own problems and let other countries
deal with their own problems
18-29 65+ Diff
% %
U.S. 57 42 +15
Germany 54 46 +8

17. May 6, 2015 17www.pewresearch.org
Americans Want to See a More Active Military Role for
Germany; Germans Disagree
Should Germany …
37%
69
54%
25
U.S.
Germany
Play a more active
military role
Limit its
military role

18. THE TRANSATLANTIC TRADE AND INVESTMENT
PARTNERSHIP
May 6, 2015 18www.pewresearch.org

19. May 6, 2015 19www.pewresearch.org
Sharp Drop in German Support for TTIP
TTIP will be __ for country
2014 2015 Change
% %
Germany
Good thing 55 41 -14
Bad thing 25 36 +11
U.S.
Good thing 53 50 -3
Bad thing 20 21 +1

20. May 6, 2015 20www.pewresearch.org
Among Those Who Think TTIP Is Bad, Americans, Germans
Differ on Why
Of those who say TTIP will be a bad thing (21% of Americans and 36% of Germans), their reasons
why a free trade agreement would be bad for their country:
50%
22
12
17%
18
61
U.S. Germany
Lead to job losses
and lower wages
Give foreign
companies unfair
advantages
Lowers food, auto
and environmental
safety standards

21. GERMANY, THE U.S. AND RUSSIA
May 6, 2015 21www.pewresearch.org

22. May 6, 2015 22www.pewresearch.org
Germans: Majority Prefer Strong Ties with U.S.
Which is more important for Germany – to have strong ties with the U.S. or strong ties with Russia?
57%
21%
15%
7%
Don't
know
Strong ties
with U.S. Strong ties
with Russia
Equally
close ties
(VOL)

23. May 6, 2015 23www.pewresearch.org
Americans Want Hard Line with Russia, Germans Disagree
The U.S. is being __ in dealing with Russia on the issue of Ukraine
The EU is being __ in dealing with Russia on the issue of Ukraine
54%
23
32%
35
4%
27
U.S.
Germany
Not tough enough About right Too tough
59%
26
22%
44
4%
18
U.S.
Germany
Not tough enough About right Too tough

24. DIVISIONS WITHIN GERMANY AND THE U.S.
May 6, 2015 24www.pewresearch.org

25. May 6, 2015 25www.pewresearch.org
East-West Divide in Germans’ Attitudes
East
Germany
West
Germany Diff
% %
Germany should deal with its own
problems and let other countries
deal with their own problems
60 47 +13
The EU is being too tough in dealing
with Russia on the issue of Ukraine
27 16 +11
The fall of the Berlin Wall is the most
important event in U.S.-German
relations over the last 75 years
43 32 +11
Germany should limit its military role
in world affairs
77 68 +9
It is more important for Germany to
have strong ties with the United
States rather than with Russia
44 61 -17

26. May 6, 2015 26www.pewresearch.org
Partisan Differences in U.S. Over German-American
Relationship
Dem Rep Diff
Americans % %
Approve of Obama's handling of
U.S.-German relations
67 16 +51
TTIP is a good thing for U.S. 59 45 +14
Germany should play a more
active military role
60 51 +9
U.S. is not tough enough on
Russia on the issue of Ukraine
47 69 -22