During his visit to Germany from June 23 to 26, 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy also inspected American armed forces stationed in Germany. The presence of U.S. troops in the Federal Republic was a central element of NATO’s defense strategy during the Cold War and symbolized the American security guarantee against a potential Soviet threat. Kennedy’s visit to the soldiers underscored the military bond between the United States and West Germany during a phase of heightened tensions, two years after the construction of the Berlin Wall.