This is an updated version of a story first published on Dec 14, 2025. The original video can be viewed here. U.S. troops have been stationed in Germany since the end of World War II, providing critical support for our NATO ally. This month, just days after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the war in Iran, the Pentagon announced plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany. Spurred by Russia's full- scale invasion of Ukraine - and persistent pressure from President Donald Trump for Europe to shoulder more of its own defense - European nations are beefing up their militaries. Nowhere is the impact more profound than in Germany. Scarred by their country's Nazi past, Germans embraced pacifism after the Cold War. Defense spending collapsed to the point some soldiers were buying their own gear. But, as we first reported in December, the landscape has transformed. Today, Germany is racing to rearm.In November, we were invited by the Bundeswehr, the German military, to observe basic training at the Munster Army Base in northwest Germany. A squad of recruits ran punishing drills, honing the skills they would need to defend their position against an enemy assault. The major in charge has been training troops since 2018. The Bundeswehr won't reveal his name to shield his identity from hostile actors. Bill Whitaker: So have you seen a difference in the recruits of today versus years past?German major: Yes– I think there's a huge difference. They know what they're here for, and it's getting more clear to them that everything we are training here for could be one day real. We don't hope that. But we're preparing exactly for that.Bill Whitaker: Because of the war in Ukraine?German major: Yes, of course, yeah.