So the assumption seems to be that by the mid 1950s, the development of smaller nuclear weapons, including thermonuclear weapons, make an invasion impractical, and until the B52 and ICBM there is no practical way to attack the other with success. Even the cruise missile type weapons (like the Snark for example) are too impractical.
But what about a fleet of Midway and United States (CV58, the one that triggered the revolt of the Admirals in OTL) carriers carrying AJ1 Savage bombers (which could carry the 2nd generation atomic bombs) in the late 1940s-early 1950s?
Granted a carrier task force would be vulnerable to nuclear attack by aircraft, although the odds of the pre 1970s era (in OTL) ballistic missiles having a CEP accurate enough to get them (unless you use a really big nuke) seems low. Certainly an American task force, defending with ships armed with very high rate of fire 3 and 5 inch guns, not mention a rather effective interceptor defense would be a very hard target to air attack, while the nuclear torpedo isn't an option until the late 1950s.
So that means there is some window of vulnerability for the Nazis, even with nuclear weapons on both sides, for a few years 1948-54 (possibly a bit earlier as the AJ Savage could have been pushed forward a bit more urgently).
As to the bombers.... the B36 never was tested in combat, which seems lucky for everyone. My thinking is that a large force of B50s supported by B50 Tankers would be a larger threat and thus more likely to see at least some get through.
Now according to Operation Dropshot, which was the official early Cold War plan, the United States was supposed to destroy the Soviet nuclear capability and its key industry with conventional and nuclear attack... THEN there would be a massive World War II (Operation Olympic/Overlord size) invasion.
For those who don't know what Dropshot is
http://www.allworldwars.com/Dropshot - American Plan for War with the Soviet Union 1957.html
But what about a fleet of Midway and United States (CV58, the one that triggered the revolt of the Admirals in OTL) carriers carrying AJ1 Savage bombers (which could carry the 2nd generation atomic bombs) in the late 1940s-early 1950s?
Granted a carrier task force would be vulnerable to nuclear attack by aircraft, although the odds of the pre 1970s era (in OTL) ballistic missiles having a CEP accurate enough to get them (unless you use a really big nuke) seems low. Certainly an American task force, defending with ships armed with very high rate of fire 3 and 5 inch guns, not mention a rather effective interceptor defense would be a very hard target to air attack, while the nuclear torpedo isn't an option until the late 1950s.
So that means there is some window of vulnerability for the Nazis, even with nuclear weapons on both sides, for a few years 1948-54 (possibly a bit earlier as the AJ Savage could have been pushed forward a bit more urgently).
As to the bombers.... the B36 never was tested in combat, which seems lucky for everyone. My thinking is that a large force of B50s supported by B50 Tankers would be a larger threat and thus more likely to see at least some get through.
Now according to Operation Dropshot, which was the official early Cold War plan, the United States was supposed to destroy the Soviet nuclear capability and its key industry with conventional and nuclear attack... THEN there would be a massive World War II (Operation Olympic/Overlord size) invasion.
For those who don't know what Dropshot is
http://www.allworldwars.com/Dropshot - American Plan for War with the Soviet Union 1957.html