Germany surrendered to the Allied powers on May 7, 1945 thus ending major conflicts in  Europe.  As a result, the country was divided between four nations — England, France, the Soviet Union, and the US. A concerted effort was made by the Allied nations to institute democratic policies in Germany, as shown in the following letter from President Harry Truman to Rev. Samuel Cavert.

Transcript

THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON

June 28, 1946

My dear. Dr. Cavert:

As you set out in the capacity of a representative of the Protestant churches in the United States to serve as a liaison representative between German religious leaders and the United States Military Government, may I take this opportunity to express my personal interest in this undertaking.

I attach importance to its success as a contribution to the reestablishment of contacts between the German churches and those in other countries. It would, moreover, seem to me that the revival of German religious life would greatly promote the Allied program for the development of democratic principles in Germany.

With every good wish for the success of your mission,

Very sincerely yours,
Harry Truman

Reverend Samuel McCrea Cavert, D.D.,
General Secretary,
The Federal Council of the Churches
of Christ in America,
297 Fourth Avenue,
New York 10, N.Y.