The ability to advance rapidly over sometimes difficult terrain was a key part of the Warsaw Pact's strategy. The Eastern European nations which formed this historic alliance wanted to be able to move quickly and effectively so they didn't give their enemies an advantage. The vital tools which helped the Warsaw Pact overcome the challenges it faced included a whole range of combat engineering equipment. This book is a factual reference of the equipment which was used throughout the Cold War period and the important roles each piece played. With obstacles including rivers and minefields to negotiate, combat units could have faced costly delays if it hadn't been for the diligent work of the Warsaw Pact's engineers. Refusing to allow troops to be slowed down by the landscape, these combat engineers worked in sometimes challenging conditions to find safe routes to their destination. From building bridges and clearing safe lanes through minefields to repairing and recovering broken down vehicles and creating field fortifications, the work of these engineers played an essential part in the Warsaw Pact's military strategy. But the work of this effective force would have been impossible without the specialist engineering equipment they used. Rugged, simplistic compared to their Western equivalents, these items would play a crucial part in both peacetime military exercises and combat operations in Afghanistan.

Considered to be “the god of modern war” by the Soviet army, artillery played a vital role in the Cold War period. The armies of the Warsaw Pact made artillery a cornerstone of their military strategies. And the importance they placed on this type of weaponry saw them use their technology and expertise to develop a wide range of munitions including mortars, rocket launchers, missiles and large-calibre guns. Artillery of the Warsaw Pact provides a compelling and detailed account of the artillery used by Warsaw Pact countries and the important role it played during this period of suspicion, tension and unease. The powerful weapons created at this time had the potential to destroy significant enemy resources, posing a very real threat to NATO forces. This book will allow you to gain an insight into the way in which artillery was used by the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact nations. Read about mortars ranging from light 50mm weapons to enormous 240mm breech-loaded versions capable of destroying fortified buildings from a distance. Artillery of the Warsaw Pact also looks at the widespread use of towed guns as well as the growth in popularity of self-propelled guns. The book also details how Second World War weapons like multiple rocket launchers continued to play a key part in the Cold War hostilities, alongside newly-developed artillery, including tactical ballistic missiles which Khrushchev viewed as a critical part of his response to the threat posed by the United States.

When East and West survived on a knife-edge between peace and war, both sides were busy preparing themselves for military action. But what exactly would NATO's troops have faced if the Cold War had suddenly turned hot? Tanks and Combat Vehicles of the Warsaw Pact is a fascinating reference book looking at the wide variety of combat vehicles which were poised and ready for action throughout the long years of military stand-off. Led by the Soviet Union, the nations which formed the Warsaw Pact were as innovative as they were prepared and these deadly war machines had the potential to change the course of world history forever. Find out more about these combat vehicles from how they worked to what they would have been capable of if they had been used in military action against NATO. Tanks and Combat Vehicles of the Warsaw Pact details more than 100 military vehicles from the 2P26 "Baby Carriage" - a compact Soviet off-road vehicle mounted with anti-tank missiles – to the T-80U main battle tank, in service from 1985 onwards.

When East and West survived on a knife-edge between peace and war, both sides were busy preparing themselves for military action. But what exactly would NATO's troops have faced if the Cold War had suddenly turned hot? This ebook box set contains the first three books of the Weapons and Equipment of the Warsaw Pact series: Tanks and Combat Vehicles of the Warsaw Pact, Combat Engineering Equipment of the Warsaw Pact, and Artillery of the Warsaw Pact.

While scholarship abounds on the diplomatic and security aspects of the Cold War, very little attention has been paid to military planning at the operational level. In Blueprints for Battle, experts from Russia, the United States, and Europe address this dearth by closely examining the military planning of NATO and Warsaw Pact member nations from the end of World War II to the beginning of détente. Informed by material from recently opened archives, this collection investigates the perceptions and actions of the rival coalitions, exploring the challenges presented by nuclear technology, examining how military commanders' perceptions changed from the 1950s to the 1960s, and discussing logistical coordination among allied states. The result is a detailed study that offers much-needed new perspectives on the military aspects of the early Cold War.