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In OTL, it is known that the USSR was successfully contained by the USA and China. the Soviet Union was never able to get as much solid international support as the US (lol China) and NATO, and much of what it did try was in vain, as its allies that it did have (with possibly the exception of the Middle Eastern ones) were generally more of a libaility than a benefit. The USSR also spent copious sums of money on weapons, that frankly, were largley never ultilzed, and became a huge drain on the USSR's economy.

Now, lets say that the Soviets realize that they can simply deter the Americans from any kind of invasion with their nuclear arsenal, and after WW2 cut their military down by huge amounts. They do not put missiles in Cuba, do not send troops beyond the borders of the Warsaw Pact, do not attack Afghanistan, and generally just play along with the USA's containment plan. Using money left conserved by cutting military spending, they focus more on developing their economy instead.

So is it plausible, that under this scenario, that NATO is, in 2000, still sitting around waiting for the USSR and Warsaw Pact's "inevitable collapse," with the Second World alive and well? Or does the USSR fall even sooner? More interestingly, is NATO even really at odds with the Soviets any longer?
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