I’m not sure about Germany, but the Constitution that the US created for the Japanese after WWII basically forbade them any ability to project any force any where. Their armed forces were by dint of the wording of that Constitution re-named and became in fact “Self-Defense” forces, legally proscribed from developing anything that could remotely be termed “of aggressive purpose”.
The Japanese haven’t developed any weapons systems of note since then, being forced into client state status by the actions of a victorious USA.
As for Europe and the rest of the free world, the USA basically said “Don’t worry about it, WE’LL look after defense against the communist bloc, or anything else that might come up.”
The rest of the world took the USA at their word, and now some folks deride and insult the nations that believed America’s promise. Go figure.
“As for Europe and the rest of the free world, the USA basically said “Don’t worry about it, WE’LL look after defense against the communist bloc, or anything else that might come up.””
That’s my point. It was idiotic of the U.S. to do that for 50+ years. Those countries should have been cut loose decades ago.