quote:
"1) Why didn't they just steamroller over western Europe"

A) "Because they knew better"

No because they saw no reason to get involved in another war.

quote:
"2) Why did they stand idly by during the Berlin airlift"

(see a) above.)

Wrong, they (unlike the cold war warriors here) saw no reason to turn a minor matter into WWIII

Quote:
3) Why did they agree to withdraw from Austria?

A) Because despite propaganda (which some people apparently STILL believe), they weren't in a position to take the west on in a prolonged conflict.Even Mother Russia couldn't afford another 20 million casualties.

Wrong (again) The simple answer is they had agreed in advance where the borders where and kept to their side of the bargain.


Quote:

A) Because despite propaganda (which some people apparently STILL believe), they weren't in a position to take the west on in a prolonged conflict.Even Mother Russia couldn't afford another 20 million casualties.

It seems the cold war mentality lives on. I would say you are the prisoner of propaganda. Was the West intending to starve Russian POW's and kill civilians on the same scale as the Germans did? Because a great number of this 20 million were not combat deaths. Remind me of the casualties they inflicted on Germany and it's Allies. Was the West prepared to pay that price?