The warsaw pact, 1955 treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between the peoples republic of albania, the peoples republic of bulgaria, the hungarian peoples republic, the german democratic republic, the polish peoples republic, the rumanian peoples republic, the union of soviet socialist republics, and. Nato was to prove one of the most durable multilateral alliance systems in history. Chapter 4 the sovietwarsaw pact ground forces threat to. If better concerns military performance, then nato wasnt really a match for the warsaw pact in 1960s though it improved over the decade. Constraining ground force exercises j 69 training patterns, opening opportunities and risks for european security.
As far as f14 against soviet fighters, between sparrow and sidewinder missiles, aircraft capabilities, and the advantage of the radar system and the 2 man crew if it gets in a situation of fighter vs fighter it has a decent shot. Warsaw pact treaty of friendship the warsaw pact was the soviet unions response to west germany joining nato, since they were mad about it the soviet union alliance. Defense alliance among soviet union and its satellite governments in eastern europe. This nie is the first comprehensive estimate of warsaw pact forces opposite nato since 1971. Instead of massed artillery and infantry, nuclear strikes were to create gaps in natos defenses and destroy its reserves. The iron curtain was the name of the impenetrable barrier or border between the central and eastern european countries of the soviet bloc, the sphere of influence of the soviet union, and the rest of europe during the cold war. Consider the soviet reaction to this americaneuropean treaty. The natowarsaw pact competition in the 1970s and 1980s. Nato and the warsaw pact history of western civilization ii. The eastern bloc nations were mostly coerced by the soviet union into the treaty so that the soviet union could maintain control of.
This file contains additional information such as exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it. Also included is information on the sources and methodology of this comparison. Significance to canada historical significance at the end of world war 2, germany was divided into 4 parts. Warsaw pact signed on may 4th, 1955 in warsaw, poland and in 1991 the warsaw pact was declared disbanded created by the soviets 6 years after nato when west germany was admitted and it started rearming political consultative committee and unified command pact armed forces were responsible for actions committed through warsaw.
The eastern bloc nations were mostly coerced by the soviet union into the treaty so that the soviet union could maintain control of all armed forces within its dominion. And a big thanks to dylans world who gave me this idea. Chapter 4 the sovietwarsaw pact ground forces threat to europe. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details such as the timestamp may not fully reflect those of the original file. The main difference between the warsaw pact and nato however.
A map indicating the different ranges of nato and warsaw pact missiles stationed throughout europe as of 1987. Nato and the warsaw pact were ideologically opposed and, over time, built up their own defences starting an arms race that lasted throughout the cold war. The main variable in the execution of the plan, and the one which would govern the configuration in which warsaw pact forces would enter combat in the critical central region, is the timing of the onset of hostilities. The main difference between the warsaw pact and nato however was that nato was an alliance of sovereign nations who cooperated willingly. Would significant, verifiable constraints on the exercises of both sides en hance natos security, by improving its ability to respond effectively to eastern aggression, more than these measures would degrade the wests. Missiles artillery lance, honest john 155 mm, 203 mm frog ss. The warsaw treaty organization also known as the warsaw pact was a. The warsaw pact was declared at an end on 25 february 1991 and the czechoslovak president, vaclav havel, formally declared an end to it on 1 july 1991. In response to this alliance, the soviet union and other communists nations in eastern europe formed an alliance, the warsaw pact. In 1982 nato published for the first time an official comparison of the forces belong ing to the nations in the integrated military structure of the alliance with.
It is possible, however, that pactnato hostil ities might develop in unintended ways, e. The warsaw pact was the soviet unions response to west germany joining nato and came into being in may 1955. Force comparison 1987 nato and the warsaw pact nato. Military spending north atlantic treaty organisation nuclear. One of the biggest what ifs of history was a war between the warsaw pact and nato.
The principal catalyst behind this volume is the parallel history project on nato and the warsaw pact php. By contrast, west german negotiations in warsaw yielded a treaty more in line with west german expectations, though the results proved 29 jan. Instead, the conflict was fought on an ideological basis. It consisted of the us, canada and most western european nations. Assessing the natowarsaw pact military balance the congress of the united states congressional budget office for sale by the superintendent of documents, u. The warsaw pact was exactly the opposite when created by the soviet union and the western european countries to support communism and even try to spread it.
Eastern germany was given to the soviet union, a communist nation. The north atlantic treaty organization nato was an alliance between noncommunist nations that was formed during the cold war to try to stop the spread of communism, or prevent the domino effect. Geostrategic dissimilarities between east and west in europe, the warsaw pact held the geostrategic advantage of the a interior linea which allowed for rapid transfer of land and air forces between different areas via controllable and largely secure lines of communication. But what were the real capabilities and intentions of the soviet union. Would significant, verifiable constraints on the exercises of both sides en hance nato s security, by improving its ability to respond effectively to eastern aggression, more than these measures would degrade the wests. While the warsaw pact was established as a balance of power or counterweight to nato, there was no direct confrontation between them. But soviet conduct in eastern europe and the blockade of berlin appeared convincing evidence that western europe was a primary target of stalins aggression. The main difference between the warsaw pact and nato.
Comparison of nato and warsaw pact land forces in europe. Nato and the warsaw pact also lacked much of the unity needed for strong military alliances, with france leaving nato in 1 958 and the several attempts of eastern bloc nations to leave the warsaw pact. The warsaw pact command structure in peace and war rand. The warsaw pact, named after the meeting to create it was held in warsaw, was based throughout the soviet bloc and troops in it were used in the ending of the 1968 czech revolt.
The bear marches west contains 12 gaming scenarios set during a fictional warsaw pact invasion of west germany in the. The warsaw treaty organization wto, officially the treaty of friendship, cooperation and. Force comparison of nato and the warsaw pact, including conventional forces, regional considerations, nuclear deterrence, defence expenditures and military production and technology. If nato and warsaw pact had a war, could the warsaw pact have. Cardboard castle an inside history of the warsaw pact on jstor. Instead, the conflict was fought on an ideological basis and in proxy wars. The united states had never considered a longterm commitment to europe. An innovative, multinational research endeavor, the php was established in 1999 to encourage increased military transparency in the former warsaw pact as well as nato countries. Warsaw pact nato promotion of capitalist economy developed for defense warsaw pact promotion of communist economy developed for offense nato and the cold war nato on the side of the united states during the cold war. In the western bloc, the warsaw treaty organization of friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance is often called the warsaw pact military alliance. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. While the soviet union liberated eastern europe from nazi germany in world war ii, the red army established military control over that region. The essays in nato and the warsaw pact seek to address that glaring gap in the historiography by utilizing a wide range of case studies to explore these oftensignificant tensions, dispelling in the process all thoughts that the alliances always operated smoothly and without internal dissent.
The organizational structure of the warsaw pact is dominated by the soviet union to a much greater extent than the structure of nato is by any of its members. Both nato and the warsaw pact led to the expansion of military forces and. Constraining ground force exercises of nato and the. The warsaw pact embodied what was referred to as the eastern bloc, while nato and its member countries represented the western bloc. It is the first to attempt an analysis of pact campaign plans for the european theaters of military operations and the first to integrate naval forces into these campaigns. The 1955 warsaw pact was prompted by the rearming of west germany and its admission into nato on may 5, 1955. Nato kept the warsaw pact behind the berlin wall until its dissolution but what if it hadnt. Nominally the warsaw pact was a response to a similar treaty made by the western allies in 1949 the north atlantic treaty organisation, or nato as well as the remilitarization of west germany in 1954, both of which posed a potential threat to the eastern countries. The atlantic alliance and the warsaw pacta comparative study 1971. Belgium liechtenstein san marino black sea mediterranean sea north sea atlantic ocean b a l t i c s e a crete corsica fr. Nato vs warsaw pact wargamemborstdownload and read 18 jan 2017.
Was nato a better alliance than the warsaw pact back in the. All maps by alphathon and based upon blank map of europe. Border of nato and warsaw pact in contrast to each other from 1949 formation of nato to 1990 withdrawal of east germany. The idea of communists expansion led the united states and eleven western european nations to join together and form the north atlantic treaty organization nato. Natothe north atlantic treaty organization was formed in 1949 out of fear of further communist ex pansion into europe. Assessing the natowarsaw pact military balance the congress of the united states congressional budget office for sale by the superintendent. This map is part of a series of historical political maps of europe. It could also be part of a system to defend against long range mig23 attacks on nato awacs as the aim54 outranges the soviet missiles, and as noted the mig23 is not good at dodging.
After world war two ended, it was clear that the usa and ussr were now huge rivals. The warsaw pact threat to nato nssm84 introduction this is the final report of working group 5 of the interagency steering committee for national security study memorandum 84. The warsaw pact and eastern europe during the cold war. Natos present secretary general is of italian nationality. If nato and warsaw pact had a war, could the warsaw pact. Formally known as the treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance, the warsaw pact was created on 14 may 1955, immediately after the. Victor papacosma the kent state university press kent, ohio. See how nato and warsaw pact forces stacked up against each other throughout the cold war. Both nato and the warsaw pact led to the expansion of military forces and their integration. Britain, france, the united states, canada, and eight other western european countries established the north atlantic treaty organization nato in 1949. The warsaw pact was established as a balance of power or counterweight to nato. Books the pact pdf, inhaltsverzeichnis 1 beschreibung. Drafted by the soviets without consultation with their allies and accepted without meaningful discussion, the treaty was drawn up as a counterpart to natos.
Constraining ground force exercises of nato and the warsaw pact. How the ultimate cold war showdown could have killed millions. This hypothetical war has been the subject of much analysis, debate and simulation. Nato and the warsaw pact intrabloc conflicts k edited by mary ann heiss and s. If it is an early attack, operation unthinkable style, then id give the edge to the soviets due to the sheer number of soldiers they had deployed in europe, 3. Western germany was given to france, great britain and the united states.
Throughout the cold war, the two sides were part of military alliances known as nato west and the warsaw pact east. Albania was expelled in 1962 because, believing that russian leader nikita khrushchev was deviating too much from strict marxist orthodoxy, the country. Parallel history project on nato and the warsaw pact php oral history interviews with polish generals from right. Was nato a better alliance than the warsaw pact back in. Warsaw pact 4 lyfe, fuck dogshit nato guns brought in by dirty mercenaries hired by west and goddamn anarchists trying to create some hippydippybullshit zonetopia. The soviets responded two weeks later on may 14, 1955 by signing the treaty which created a coordinated defense among its communist nations to deter any form of attack from the west. The warsaw pact could mobilise more reserves, move them forward, and commit them timestaggered in line with its echelon system, an advantage intensified by its geostrategically favourable position.
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