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points by varjag 1 day ago | 0 comments
People think of Warsaw Pact as an alliance akin to NATO but opposite. In reality it was essentially Soviet Army padded with national units of subjugated countries. For instance there is NATO HQ as everyone knows but Warsaw Pact headquarters never existed: the chain of command started in Ministry of Defense in Moscow.

And yes tactical nukes were forward deployed to most Pact countries.

[–] frrlpp 13 hours ago
People think of NATO as an alliance akin to NATO but opposite. In reality it was essentially US Army padded with national units of subjugated countries. For instance there is NATO HQ as everyone knows but the chain of command started in Washington.
[–] varjag 11 hours ago
Literally no country was forced into NATO. Quite the opposite, the eastward members were banging the door to get in and were admitted only because no-one in the West could fathom aggressive Russia again. Warsaw Pact in contrast bided its time invading its members who tried to get out.
[–] Viliam1234 10 hours ago
> Warsaw Pact in contrast bided its time invading its members who tried to get out.

That's the irony -- the only countries Warsaw Pact members were invaded by were other Warsaw Pact members. (Too bad they couldn't call other Warsaw Pact members to protect them.)

[–] Viliam1234 10 hours ago
You probably think you're being either smart or funny, but you are neither.

NATO and Warsaw Pact are not some kind of mirror opposite (except for being enemies in the cold war). Countries join NATO voluntarily, for example Sweden and Finland recently. Countries have joined Warsaw Pact by being occupied by the Soviet Army.

> US Army padded with national units of subjugated countries

Please go ahead and explain how USA has subjugated Sweden and Finland recently, after failing to subjugate them during the previous decades.