[MichaelP]

The US Military at the end of the 1980s was at its peak. I think the Soviets would have been stopped before the Rhine conventionally. There missile subs would all have been sunk and their bombers shot down, or destroyed on the ground. I doubt they would have launched their land based missiles against the retaliation they would have faced....

Thank you President Reagan!

Mike

[Icthus]

"..I think the Soviets would have been stopped before the Rhine conventionally.."

You may be right.....but if they knew our contingency plans for a Soviet invasion, that changes the whole scenario. The US would be at a severe disadvantage. The Soviets would have the benefit of knowing how we would react in a particular situation, and could put into place a counter for each and every one of our pre-planned scenarios.

In that type of game....we may have found ourselves reeling backwards right out of the gate. Thank G_d it never got to that point.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

I was a staff weinie at VII Imperial Corps, G3, in the mid-80's. We would have had our asses handed to us. The Pershings would have flown on D+2. It would have been all down hill from there. We got lucky.

[Justa]

It is well known that the Soviets did not intend a conventional attack. It would have been a COMBLOC tactical nuclear-led offensive attacking NATO C&C centers, SOSUS, sub bases, airfields, logistics centers, depots and deployment locations.

Reagan countered this plan with deployment of the mobile Pershing IIs, Lances and cruise missles ensuring NATO would have a nuclear counter-strike capability against COMBLOC units and locations. This created a tactical nuclear stalemate for Europe which thwarted the Soviet offensive plan.