Overview
Duty First: Deterrence
Briefly defined as “displaying military force to prevent attack,” deterrence defined the role of the 1 ID from 1970 to 1991. As part of the Cold War mission to prevent Soviet aggression, division soldiers trained constantly both at home and abroad. In this theme-section learn how 1 ID soldiers showed their strength and capabilities through massive military exercises held yearly in West Germany.
During the Cold War thousands of U.S. soldiers, largely from the United States, including 1 ID soldiers, deployed to Germany to participate in REFORGER (Return of Forces to Germany) exercises as a show of force.
Exhibit Highlight: The Berlin Wall
On display in the FDM is a large section of the Berlin Wall, an iconic feature of the Cold War. Built in 1961 as an ideological and physical concrete barrier separating East from West Berlin, when it came down in 1989 it symbolized the end of the Cold War and success of the deterrence mission in Germany. Also learn about elements of the 1 ID that have deployed to South Korea to deter North Korean aggression.
