Conventional WW3 in 80-ies. Who wins?

IIRC the USSR's Seven Days to the Rhine plan hinged on hitting NATO rear areas with nukes ahead of the ground advance. Are we counting that as conventional?

If not: How prepared were Warsaw Pact forces to face NATO with intact rear areas?

opinions over soviet first use of nukes range from "of course" over "they had plans,because you plan everything" to "they didn't want to,and it was used for internal politicking".

they were plenty prepared. They didn't make sure to maintain overhelming conventional superiority just to render it meaningless within minutes.
 
I think this scenarios depend on the question why the war starts? I just don´t see the Soviets start a war in 1984 just out the blue. Not with Ronny Raygun in the White House. And I find it difficult to imagine, how the Soviets in 1984 call in hundred thousands of polish, east-german, czechoslovak and hungarian reservists, give them weapons and then say "Die for us".
So I just see the war start of something of a East-German-uprising scenario.
 
Top