Did NATO have any plans to attempt to hold West Berlin in the event of a general war with the U.S.S.R. in Europe?

by darthpizza

In the event that war broke out in Europe, and didn't immediately turn nuclear, what was the NATO plan to hold West Berlin? Were there any fortifications or supply depots constructed? And what was the composition of NATO forces in the city? Were there any plans to use tactical nuclear weapons in the city? I'm very interested in the Cold War era, but I haven't found much that address Berlin specifically.

54665

The short answer is no.

NATO defense of Western Germany was organized around the Fulda Gap and the North German Plain, but even this is disingenuous - these regions were not sufficiently garrisoned to effectively resist a Soviet ground invasion. My understanding is that NATO, should the USSR have invaded, would have all but entirely abandoned Germany to its fate, and tried to return and "reconquer" after the fact. The nuclear deterrent was far more important than any collection of ground forces, the primary purpose of which was to give the US a casus belli. Their job was to die, not resist.

The US would then use their superior naval and aeronautical might to force a surrender, assuming they would not immediately use the nuclear option against Soviet targets.