what if the Soviet union atacked nato countres

As the moderator chappie, I will do the ranting about that!

People, please always check that you have a [ quote ] marker and a [/ quote ] marker so that your message will really show a quote box. Apart from that you can remove anything from the previous post that your reply does not refer to. Thus you can have a very selective quote:

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If it is any consolation all the exercises I have been on they end with the west nuking the east because of the anticipated reseult of a conventional war.

The Hind was and still is a very capable helicopter.

 

If the war broke out during the 50s/60s/early 70s, the Soviets might have had a pretty even chance of winning. But from the late 70s onwards the soviet military would have begun to lag behind her western counterparts.

 

Maybe in some areas but their numbers would make up for some of that.

 

Within 2 weeks it would go nuclear. It would be the only way you could stop the "thundering herd".

 

The US Armed Forces during the late 1970s were pretty much a "paper tiger". Vietnam had turned many people against the military and thoroughly demoralised the service personnel. Massive cuts in the force levels followed, along with cuts in the defense budget. Reagan turned things around, but his reforms would take time to implement.

 

Good point, but don't think for a moment that some of the Eastern Block Russian allies won't turn their back on Moscow if they have a chance. So the initially numerically stronger Eastern block forces may not be as formidable as it looked. Just think, Czechoslovakia and Hungary all have tried to revolt, and people in East Germany kept trying to climb the wall, you don't think the Poles hold any grudges against the Russians?

 

Apparently, President Reagan only completed the defence reform which already had started under President Carter.
For sure NATO was much more ready to face Warsaw Pact in the 80's than in the 70's, but nevertheless I think it sooner or later would have turned nuclear.

 

Just because they don't want one leader, it doesn't mean they will accept another.

Maybe the majority at the time might have preferred the devil they do know.

The rapid collapse of the eastern bloc has caused a lot of problems, they may even have helped the west but turned as they realise the grass may not be greener.