re: Older folks: What do you remember about the Cold War?

I lived in West Germany from '70-'75. Visited the wall and checkpoint Charlie a few times. I was in my early teens. The threat seemed very real to me and my friends growing up on army bases. I seem to remember that the USSR had enough tanks amassed near the border to over run West Germany and France in hours not days. But I could be remembering wrong.

We payed very close attention to the news as the Viet Nam war was winding down. A lot of our dads were either there or had been there. It's hard to describe growing up like that. I was born an army brat and didn't live anywhere but army bases until I left home from Ft. Riley, KS in 1979.

So my perspective of the Cold War is probably skewed.

Not remembering wrong. Understated.

I had no idea that you were in your late 70's.

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Older folks: What do you remember about the Cold War?

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The Doomsday Clock.

It was always 3 minutes or 5 minutes or 7 minutes to a nuclear exchange with the Russians.

In about 1985 the neutron bomb was discovered. This added a new and dire aspect to the whole mess. Supposedly a neutron bomb could minimize material destruction but killed many people with fast decaying radiation.

Doesn’t that sound lovely?

This – the rationale went – would make it more palatable for the Soviets to plunge into Western Europe for World War Three along the previous two models. Scary.

Of the top of my head:

Soviets 50,000 tanks NATO 22,000 tanks

Soviets 4,500 combat aircraft NATO 3,000 combat aircraft

Soviet Navy 900 ships and 300 attack submarines US Navy 500 ships and 100 attack submarines

But the Rooskies never wanted to pull the trigger. We had some considerable qualitative edge.

One factoid from back in the day -- The Syrian army attempted to take the Golan Heights with 900 modern Soviet made tanks in 1973 -- They were held off by a Brigade on 150 Israeli Sherman tanks from World War Two.

The Sherman was a pretty good darn tank, especially when up-gunned and carrying wet ammo.

LINK

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The Soviet sailors had an awesome sense of humor, when seen through binos! I think they enjoyed dressing up like fake fishermen, and liberty in Havana.

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This still happens to this day. In the 90's they were outright at the piers in Havana no need to fake like fisherman. Years later... the democrats loved their way of life and sent reps to Havana to celebrate and pose, even with a POTUS with Chavez in the background.

I'd pay good money to send the average ignorant democrat to live like a non tourist in Havana right now. Maybe they would get a grip.

1- everything we did as a nation was to best the USSR. Race to moon... arms.

2- the decision to BK their gov vs their decision to bring down our society.


The last was a huge because congress failed to defend that

Fallout shelters.