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The Cold War

Defence and deterrence

Soviet military campaigns

The Soviet Union and its partners posed a constant threat to NATO throughout the Cold War.  One of the foremost worries for military planners at NATO was the Soviet Union’s numerical superiority, and how it could be used to quickly and decisively conquer the European continent.  In the 1950s, this discrepancy was at its peak.

In order to plan for the most effective defence, NATO and national strategists considered every possible military scenario.  The maps in this photo gallery have been pulled from documents once marked COSMIC TOP SECRET dating back to the early 1950s.  Now publicly disclosed, these documents highlight the reality of the threat that the Warsaw Pact once posed to Europe and the World.  The full, publicly disclosed documents are available in the experts’ corner.

The first step to any sort of military planning is knowing how many men, materials and machines can be mobilised for war. This map shows the general position of the 175 Soviet and 62 Satellite divisions present in 1951. For comparison, NATO had 35 division around the same time. (From SG 126/2-Final, 10 April 1951)

Possible Soviet campaigns into Western Europe. (From SG 161/3, 30 September 1953)

The first step to any sort of military planning is knowing how many men, materials and machines can be mobilised for war. This map shows the general position of the 175 Soviet and 62 Satellite divisions present in 1951. For comparison, NATO had 35 division around the same time. (From SG 161/3, 30 September 1953)

Possible Soviet campaigns in the Balkans and Greece. (From SG 161/3, 30 September 1953)

Possible Soviet campaign in Turkey and the Middle East. (From SG 161/3, 30 September 1953)

Alternate campaigns into Greece and Turkey. (From SHAPE History Volume I, 9 December 1953)

Possible Soviet campaign in Denmark and Norway. (From SG 161/3, 30 September 1953)

Possible Soviet campaign in Denmark and Norway if the USSR also invades Finland and Sweden. (From SG 161/3, 30 September 1953)

Possible Soviet campaign in the Iberian peninsula against Spain and Portugal. (From SG 161/3, 30 September 1953)

Possible Soviet Campaigns against the United Kingdom. (From SG 161/3, 30 September 1953)

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