1870-71: Franco-Prussian War, 433K dead 1914-1918: WWI, 17.6M dead, including 116K Americans 1939-1945: WWII, 54M dead in Europe, including 277K Americans 1949: NATO founded 1949-Present: No major European wars 2018: "NATO's stupid. What does it do for us anyway?"
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If we count Korea and Vietnam as "major wars", why aren't the Yugoslav Wars "major wars" in Europe?
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Many more casualties, involvement of a great power on either side. But there isn't an accepted definition of major war--besides bigger and deadlier than a non-major war--so one could arguably draw the line in a few different places. Still, my point's about size, not the term.
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Yes the size of the war was smaller but the death count approached 150000 which is not that small of a number.
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Also NATO did do a series of air stirkes
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Interestingly, the Soviets (genuinely) considered a neutral option for Germany (i.e. along the Austrian scenario) before West Germany's accession to NATO. This much is clear from the records of internal Soviet deliberations c. 1953. NATO certainly changed Moscow's perceptions.
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Are these documents published somewhere, or has anyone used them as sources in their work? Genuinely interested in learning more.
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Bits and pieces have, e.g. in the Russian documentary collections on Beria downfall. But much, much more remains in the (now open) archives, e.g. RGASPI.
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I am finalizing a book om the subject (a history of the Cold War), which touches on this (among other lost opportunities): watch this space :)
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