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Why did the United States worry about Soviet conventional military superiority in Europe?
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nuclear strategy
The explosion from the first thermonuclear weapon (hydrogen bomb), code-named Mike, which was detonated at Enewetak atoll in the Marshall Islands, November 1, 1952. The photograph was taken at an altitude of 3,600 metres (12,000 feet) 80 km (50 miles) from the detonation site.
The United States and its NATO allies were concerned about Soviet conventional military superiority because of the fear that Warsaw Pact forces could overwhelm NATO’s thin peacetime defensive lines before reinforcements could arrive. This anxiety was driven by several key factors:1
- Geographic Disadvantage: While NATO possessed significant total military power, geography favored the Warsaw Pact. Soviet reserves could reach the front lines much faster than U.S. reinforcements, which faced a hazardous journey across the Atlantic Ocean.1
- Maneuver Warfare: NATO analysts feared the Soviet preference for maneuver warfare, which aimed to defeat the enemy quickly and catch an immobile defense off balance before the full weight of Western power could be brought to bear.1
- Credibility of Deterrence: As doubts grew regarding the durability of nuclear deterrence, the ability to resist an offensive conventionally became critical. There was a persistent fear that without sufficient warning to mobilize, NATO would be forced to rely on nuclear weapons prematurely to stave off conventional defeat.21
Ultimately, this concern led to the adoption of flexible response, which sought to raise the nuclear threshold by strengthening conventional forces and developing strategies like AirLand Battle to better synchronize operations.21