Warsaw pact preparations for associated military operations 195861 intelligence sources and analysis 14 chapter iii. May, 2005 the sovietled warsaw pact had a longstanding strategy to attack western europe that included being the first to use nuclear weapons, according to a new book of previously secret warsaw pact documents published tomorrow. Although the aim was apparently to preempt nato aggression, the soviets clearly expected that nuclear war was likely and planned. In 1949, the united states, canada, and ten european nations formed this military mutualdefense pact. One of the biggest what ifs of history was a war between the warsaw pact and nato. Instead, the conflict was fought on an ideological basis and in proxy wars. Nswp nations are excluded from peacetime regional strategic operational. This hypothetical war has been the subject of much analysis, debate and simulation. My view, from the change in strategy in the 80s of the sovs to start with initial nukes again, and effectively to only attack if they thought they. The eastern european nations which formed this historic alliance. The best books on military strategy five books expert. Military logistics and strategic performance strategy and history 1st edition.
Both nato and the warsaw pact led to the expansion of military forces and their integration into the respective blocs. This series of books aims to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding the equipment used in the military operations of the warsaw pact during this time of unease between the east and west. Lewis and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Soviets planned nuclear first strike to preempt west. Elsewhere, in the former member states, the warsaw treaty is known as. Why cold war warsaw pact tactics work in wargaming by john curry i have played more cold war warsaw pact games versus nato than most. The warsaw pact alliance of the east european socialist states was the. Military aviation cold war warsaw pact order of battle there is a chap on the flypast forums compiling details as the information is released, i. In seven days to the rhine, soviet nuclear forces would. The warsaw pact and military security in central europe. The contribution of clandestine source, col oleg penkovskiy 195564. Warsaw pact forces in the western theater of military operations the soviet threat facing western europe is a matter both of the numbers and equipment of warsaw pact forces, and of soviet strategy for employing those forces.
Tanks and combat vehicles of the warsaw pact is a fascinating reference book looking at the wide variety of combat vehicles which were poised and ready for action. Read combat engineering equipment of the warsaw pact by russell phillips available from rakuten kobo. The ability to advance rapidly over difficult terrain was a key part of the warsaw pact s strategy. The vital tools which helped the warsaw pact overcome the challenges it faced included a whole range of combat engineering equipment. How well does the military strategy of decapitation. The ability to advance rapidly over sometimes difficult terrain was a key part of the warsaw pact s strategy. With the help of the open archives of the former warsaw pact. The warsaw treaty organization, officially the treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance, commonly known as the warsaw pact, was a collective defense treaty signed in warsaw, poland between the soviet union and seven other eastern bloc socialist republics of central and eastern europe in may 1955, during the cold war. It includes sensitive soviet and warsaw pact military journals from 1961 to 1984, recently uncovered in newly opened archives across former warsaw pact nations, providing a view into warsaw pact military strategy. Previous attempts by warsaw pact nations to depart from communism had resulted in forceful soviet military intervention. Russia and seven communist allies responded to west germanys membership of nato by signing a treaty of mutual military cooperation which. The warsaw pact, otherwise known as the warsaw treaty organization, was supposed to be an alliance which created a centralized military command in eastern europe during the cold war, but, in practice, it was dominated by the ussr, and did mostly what the ussr told it. Military aviation a forum for the professionals who fly military hardware. As war is boring has pointed out, on the northern front alone, warsaw pact plans called for 189 nuclear weapons.
Recent scholarship on nato and the warsaw pact has gone a long way in unearthing. The warsaw pact command structure in peace and war rand. Combat engineering equipment of the warsaw pact weapons. Niche internet marketing strategy many eggs in many baskets check this useful article by going to the link at the image.
The best books on military strategy, as recommended by antulio echevarria, editor of the us army war college quarterly and formerly director of research at. This book is a factual reference of the equipment which was used throughout the cold war period and the important roles each piece played. Similar in concept to john hacketts the third world war, another reagan favorite, it offered a fictional, but realistic, view of what war between nato and the warsaw pact would look like. Military logistics and strategic performance strategy and. Cold war warsaw pact order of battle pprune forums. Soviet and warsaw pact military journals cia foia foia. The specific military plans of the soviet union, as well as the plans of the united states, remain secret. In the western bloc, the warsaw treaty organization of friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance is often called the warsaw pact military alliance.
Cold war deepens as communist states sign warsaw pact. There are tabulations of dimensions and performance characteristics for. Pact forces in soviet military planning, the rand corporation, sep tember 1988. The eastern european nations which formed this historic alliance wanted to be able to move quickly and effectively so they didnt give their enemies an advantage. Warsaw pact military forces warsaw pact military alliance showing the flags of member states. The nato warsaw pact military competition at the heart of the cold war was also the incubator of a revolution in military affairs rma in europe in the 1970s and 1980s, which predates the betterknown american concept of rmaof the 1990s. Regardless, nuclear weapons were a central part of the soviet unions strategy to conquer all of western europe. Warsaw pact equipment identification guide abebooks.
The book provides comprehensive descriptions of the various combat engineering equipment items used by the warsaw pact countries. Both nato and the warsaw pact led to the expansion of military forces and their integration. Review books, armies of natos central front the armies of natos central front was written in 1985 and is probably the definative work of this nature on natos armies covering a wealth of detail particularly on organisation that is other wise rather more difficult to come by than data on the warsaw pact and the soviet union. In 1955, the soviet union countered nato with the formation of the warsaw pact, a military alliance among those nations within its own sphere of influence. But what were the real capabilities and intentions of the soviet union. Chapter 4 the sovietwarsaw pact ground forces threat to. When east and west survived on a knifeedge between peace and war, both sides were busy preparing themselves for military action. Not surprisingly, the majority of the equipment is from the former ussr. The members of these states were emotionalized by the previous empires in their attempt for conquest. Warsaw pact clashes with nato pact on worldwide fronts.
The warsaw treaty organization wto, officially the treaty of friendship, cooperation and. Weapons and equipment of the warsaw pact 4 book series. Also for the backroom boys and girls who support the flying and maintain the equipment, and without whom nothing would ever leave the ground. The warsaw pact was established as a balance of power or counterweight to nato. These individual studies and the book as a whole represent the most current and thorough examination of nato warsaw pact capabilities available today. The natowarsaw pact military competition at the heart of the cold war. The soviet union hoped the warsaw pact would help it contain west germany and allow it to negotiate with nato on a level playing field of power. Artillery, rockets, and missiles by defense interlligence agency and a great selection of related books. The warsaw pact and military security in central europe during the cold war article in the journal of slavic military studies 172.
Warsaw pact book annotation united states army cold war military history armed forces troops this book music. How the warsaw pact planned to win world war three in europe. Book 2 of weapons and equipment of the warsaw pact. The cold war is a fascinating period of history, shrouded with mystery and intrigue. The military strategy of decapitation strikes involves killing or removing the military command and control structure of an opposing country with the aim of inhibiting its ability to respond to an attack. Axis history forum this is an apolitical forum for discussions on the axis nations and related topics hosted by the axis history factbook in cooperation with christian ankerstjernes panzerworld and christoph awenders ww2 day by day. The warsaw pact was the military complement to the council for mutual. The warsaw treaty organization 1 wto, officially the treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance, 2 commonly known as the warsaw pact, was a collective defense treaty signed in warsaw, poland between the soviet union and seven other eastern bloc socialist republics of central and eastern europe in may 1955, during the cold war. Tanks and combat vehicles of the warsaw pact ebook written by russell phillips. Such early would confer the pact an enormous strategic advantage over nato.
The natowarsaw pact competition in the 1970s and 1980s. The formation of the warsaw pact was in some ways a response to the creation of nato, although it did. All armies, navies and air forces of the world equally welcome here. Warsaw pact ground forces equipment identification guide.
Why cold war warsaw pact tactics work in wargaming. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read tanks and combat vehicles of the warsaw pact. While much has been published on the armed forces of the ussr during the 1980s, surprisingly little is available on the forces supplied by the other member nations of the warsaw pact. This third and final video in the series focuses on the ground war. With obstacles including rivers and minefields to negotiate, combat units could have faced costly delays if it hadnt been for the diligent work of the warsaw pact. The main nonnuclear threat comes from the continental forces of the warsaw pact, concentrated in central. Imagine huge numbers of soviet combat divisions streaming across germany. The strategy behind the formation of the warsaw pact was driven by the desire of the. But what exactly would natos troops have faced if the cold war had suddenly turned hot. Warsaw pact perceptions of the correlation of forces. Combat engineering equipment of the warsaw pact ebook by. It explores both sides starting positions, forces and military hardware.
Just one week later, on may 14, 1955, the warsaw pact was established as a mutual military defense complement of the council for mutual economic assistance. The author illustrates this point with case studies of british logistics during the burma campaign in the world war ii, american logistical innovations during the pacific war, communist supply methods during the american phase of the vietnam war and the competing logistical systems of both nato and warsaw pact conventional forces during the cold war. The soviet unions insane plan to crush nato in battle. Weapons and equipment of the warsaw pact russell phillips. How the warsaw pact planned to win world war three. With the help of the open archives of the former warsaw pact countries, such as poland and czechoslovakia, historians could roughly establish how the soviet army would have acted in the event of a conflict.
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