Germany builds up its military to prepare for a potential future without U.S. support

[0:00] AMNA NAWAZ, President Trump has ramped up his criticism of Germany's leader after Chancellor [0:04] Friedrich Merz said the United States had been humiliated by Iran. [0:09] In a post on Truth Social, the president told Merz to, quote, spend more time on ending [0:13] the war with Russia-Ukraine, where he has been totally ineffective, and fixing his broken [0:18] country. [0:19] Despite Trump's rhetoric and repeated threats to withdraw the U.S. from NATO, Germany's [0:24] top military officer claims relations with American military leaders are as strong as [0:29] ever. [0:30] But he also says the threat from Russia means Germany's push to strengthen its own armed [0:34] forces is a race against time. [0:37] Our special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports from Germany. [0:40] MALCOLM BRABANT, Former East Germany, in the Czech border, the country's newest recruits [0:50] perform a last-minute drill before their passing-out parade. [0:54] For some, the army offered a path out of unemployment. [0:58] Others were motivated by Ukraine's resistance against Russia. [1:02] For security reasons, they only gave their first names. [1:05] MALCOLM BRABANT, Former U.S. Secretary of State, My personal view is that I owe a lot [1:10] to this country, for education, the health system, and I would call myself a patriot. [1:15] Of course, I think I'm a little bit concerned, but I'm not really afraid that Russia will [1:23] attack us or a war will break out, because I think it's more like a warning or a wake-up [1:31] call for us. [1:36] Here, reaching alongside Marienburg's town band, the 371st Mechanized Infantry Battalion will [1:42] become the tip of NATO's defensive spear. [1:45] They can expect to be deployed to Lithuania to strengthen the alliance's eastern flank. [1:50] If the German government gets its way, passing-out parades are going to be a far more frequent [1:55] occurrence. [1:56] The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has said he will do whatever it takes to make sure that [2:01] Germany is war ready by 2029 he's boosted defense spending to make sure [2:06] that by the end of the decade Germany will have the strongest military force [2:10] in Europe this footage from the Bundeswehr or federal armed forces shows [2:17] mechanized infantry training to defend the West against Russian aggression how [2:25] dangerous would you say this particular period is I'm now in our in the military [2:31] since 42 years and I must say I've never experienced such a dangerous situation [2:37] like we are having it at them at the moment the clock is ticking [2:40] General Carsten Breuer is Germany's most senior military officer in charge of the [2:45] Bundeswehr comprising the army Navy and Air Force Russia is rebuilding their [2:51] forces we see that the Russian personnel military personnel is going up to 1.6 [2:56] million home soldiers so what we see is a restructuring home of the of the Russian [3:02] military and it's all directing against West increasing the pace of Germany's [3:07] rearmament has become more urgent after President Trump reiterated his dismay [3:12] over America's NATO allies refusal to join the war against Iran we spend hundreds [3:18] of billions of dollars a year on NATO hundreds of protecting them and we would [3:23] have always been there for them but now based on their actions I guess we don't [3:28] have to be doing while Germany's relationship with the White House may [3:33] be turbulent according to General Breuer connections with his American [3:37] counterparts are secure are there any breaks in military relations definitely [3:42] not they are as good as in former times it's totally clear and we also [3:47] understand that we have to take over more responsibility for our own security [3:53] Germany's real moment alarms the nation's teenagers 18 year old males are [3:59] now required to declare whether they're willing to serve fears that [4:04] compulsory conscription will follow a driving widespread school strikes and [4:09] marches I don't want to fight in war for Germany I don't want to die for [4:13] Germany I don't want to kill for Germany the anti-war rhetoric of author and [4:17] podcaster or the new moon has turned him into a national figurehead the state [4:21] doesn't care whether people want to fight or not it's just forcing its [4:24] citizens to and this is in my opinion the most important argument against [4:28] fighting for your country stroll through the German capital and it's easy to find [4:33] evidence of the decisive 1945 battle between victorious Soviet troops and [4:38] Berlin's defeated defenders pillars on Museum Island are pockmarked with [4:44] bullet holes as it atoned for its Nazi past Germany has projected a peaceful [4:50] posture now the Bundeswehr is having to counter deep-rooted skepticism about its [4:55] purpose we've found the job of Captain Mike Siebert is to convince young people [5:01] that the army is an essential pillar of Germany's democracy he's taking a class on [5:06] a tour of Parliament as youth information officer our job is political [5:10] education in terms of security policy and we are institutionally prohibited from [5:16] any kind of recruitment so if we get invited for a teacher and they're [5:19] requesting a study trip for example it's good that the students get a chance to [5:24] see that democracy is not abstract opinion polls have consistently shown that [5:30] most young Germans opposed conscription and are unwilling to fight a contrast was [5:36] provided by this predominantly middle-aged audience at a debate about [5:40] choosing freedom who asked to stand if they take up arms to defend Germany so will [5:47] the military reach the required numbers to counter the Russian threat [5:51] so Nkneisel is a military historian with that definitely enough young German [5:57] males who want to defend Germany it's about 12 percent and you could argue well [6:05] this is not enough but we don't need any size of an army of millions of soldiers we [6:10] are aiming for two hundred sixty thousand and possibly unofficially up to three [6:15] hundred thousand but this is enough in common with other nations which have [6:21] donated equipment and ammunition to Ukraine Germany's stocks are severely [6:26] depleted lieutenant colonel Marcel bonnet represents the German Armed Forces [6:32] Association so ammunition is one of our our biggest challenges so we need much [6:39] more our industry builds up capacities currently so they will produce a lot more but [6:45] we are only able I guess to defend Europe with our partners so only munitions of [6:53] Germany will not be enough to to really yeah defend us as Russia triples its defense [6:59] spending drone warfare is one area of Germany's military industrial complex that [7:05] needs rapid growth stark a small startup has won a 300 million dollar contract for [7:11] its loitering suicide drone that's been tested on the front lines in Ukraine senior vice-president [7:18] Josip Kwanavetvogel shows off the warhead that can take out a tank it's highly effective it can [7:24] destroy up to 800 millimeters of armoured steel it's battle proven from beginning on I would say [7:30] because we get quite a lot of feedback from soldiers that use our systems from the front line it is [7:35] essential that you scale up your production right now and it can't be done within some minutes or [7:41] seconds so it needs some time to ramp up production and to set up production sites and we are on it [7:47] to do this right now Germany's race to build its stockpile of weapons and ammunition is predicated on [7:53] the fear that in the not too distant future an emboldened Russia may test NATO's strength by [7:59] attacking one of the former Soviet Baltic states is it the threatening situation at the moment is it a [8:05] dangerous situation at the moment yes it is are we going into the war no we don't because we under [8:11] we have understood this we are preparing to defend ourselves and therefore deterrence is is key [8:17] deterrence is coming back deterrence for NATO turns for European countries and if you have [8:23] this this deterrence this is your insurance in Marienburg the young Grenadiers swore to faithfully [8:32] serve the Federal Republic and to bravely defend the rights and freedom of the German people [8:37] it's important for me to stand up for my country because this country gives you so many [8:42] possibilities so many freedoms brave words on such a big day but their families are hoping that the [8:48] vow of their sons and daughters won't be put to the test for the PBS NewsHour I'm Malcolm Brabant in [8:54] Marienburg support journalism you trust support PBS News donate now or even better start a monthly contribution today