Transatlantic Perceptions: A Source Collection

The transatlantic careers and the transnational networks discussed in the other sections of this website took place against the broad, dynamic background of European-American relations during the second half of the twentieth century. The sources collected in this section (largely drawn from mass media of the era) were selected to provide context for the broader development of transatlantic relations after World War II—a period the included the Cold War, tremendous economic growth, social movements, and the beginning of the process of European integration. The sources also help to gauge changing mutual perceptions of Europeans and Americans during a time when the United States was considered by many as a beacon of modernity and a model for social and political change. Still, Americans continued to look to Europe for inspiration and European developments continued to influence the thinking of American and transatlantic elites. Through their prominence, furthermore, many elite migrants helped shape American perspectives on Europe in the postwar period.

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