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So, I was thinking of ways and things that "could be different" if the USSR was still around "to the present day". One of the things I thought of, initially for during the 1980s, but it could easily apply to any point during the Cold War, was basically the early reunification of Germany. Both "sides" would be able to maintain conventional forces, but restricted in total size, while the German Armed Forces would also be restricted in size, similar to those two treaties after the end of the Cold War, Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany and Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE). As for total size both sides could maintain, it would be equal forces, but maybe either a brigade, each, from the NATO/France Occupying Powers, totaling a division, and a corresponding division from the USSR. As for Air, maybe a "wing" or something like that. Another possibility could be the total number of people, regardless of air, ground, or whatever, is equal to a corp, such as a Marine Expeditionary Force for comparison of total size.

They could even require the reunited Germany be prohibited from joining NATO, while also having a mutual defense pact towards Germany. What I mean by mutual defense pact is, if either side attacked Germany, or entered with prohibited weapons, that don't have any exceptions or procedures to allow, like the nuke transit option, then the other side is immediately required to help defend/throw out the "attacker".

It would also require the removal of any and all nuclear weapons from German Soil, for all time, meaning that while neither NATO nor the USSR could have any nukes in Germany, nor could Germany ever develop or deploy nuclear weapons, though they wouldn't be barred from developing nuclear power stations. In regards to transiting nukes, that would be allowed, but the "Inspecting Authority" would have to be informed at least 3 hours before the plane lands. The 3 hours were to both allow the countries, principally the US, to maintain secrecy and security regarding the transport of nukes, while also not allowing any "secret nukes in Germany". In case of "emergency landings", since they can't be pre-scheduled, the respective oversight authority, most likely SAC or MAC in the US must notify the "Inspecting Authority" within around 90 minutes either before or after the emergency landing. The reason the respective oversight authority does the notification, rather than the flight crew, is they presumably have bigger worries to worry about than the legal requirement to alert the "Inspecting Authority".

Even though conventional weapons, like the conventional Pershing II, or even a conventional version of the GLCM, from the NATO Side, can be based inside of Germany, the "Inspecting Authority" conducts 4 inspections a year, on both sides, and can conduct "intelligence based" surprise inspections as and when needed. For who the "Inspection Authority" is, I'm primarily leaning towards the Swiss, with maybe a couple of other neutral countries as well. While there might be a representative of either or both "sides", both NATO and USSR, during the scheduled inspections, there likely wouldn't be during any surprise inspections.

A couple of advantages, as I viewed it for the USSR were, firstly, they don't have the cost factor of maintaining all of those nukes or other forces inside Germany. Secondly, while they may "loose" Germany, overall, "to the West" because of the nuke ban, the closest to the Soviet/Warsaw Pact Border, NATO could get would be Italy, otherwise they would have to fire over the entire length of Germany, just to target Warsaw Pact targets. Whereas for the USSR, they could put IRBMs/nukes directly up to the border with Germany, in the Warsaw Pact Nations. The reason that would be an advantage, was if they went to war, they would likely be targeting Germany, anyway. In other words, Germany is basically acting as a big "buffer state" between the West/NATO and the USSR/Warsaw Pact.

I realize it's unlikely to ever happen, and upon further thought, I realized there were numerous issues with it ever actually happening, but for the moment, assuming it did, and depending on when, what could the various types of fallout be? I would assume the fallout would be different if it happened in the 1960s versus the 1970s versus the 1980s.
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