alternatehistory.com

Given a POD where Portugal leaves NATO and becomes a full ally of Moscow sometime in the late 70's, could the USSR build large and well defended naval facilities and air bases on the Azores and station enough forces there (and supply them) in order to threaten NATO convoys during a conventional naval and air battle in the Atlantic?

What (if any) 70's PODs could flip Portugal from NATO member to full blown Soviet ally?

What would be needed force wise for the Soviets to turn the Azores into a potent "thorn" in the center of the Atlantic?

Would the USSR have the resources and forces to pull this off?

How long could Soviet air and naval forces operate from the Azores once they're "on their own" and cut off from the USSR itself?

Could the West do anything short of war (diplomacy, trade embargoes, etc.) to prevent the Soviets from constructing bases in the Azores and stationing forces there?



**Yes the war would probably very quickly go nuclear, but for the sake of argument focus on whether this one change could drastically alter the conventional dynamics of a NATO-Soviet clash
Top