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Posted on 04/22/2002 9:52:37 AM PDT by swarthyguy
I was the G-3 plans officer and later the Deputy G-3. Conrad worked for me, as did Ramsey, Kelley, and Rondeau. Conrad was the second Hungarian spy to work as the plans NCOIC, the first was SFC Soltan Sabo, a Hungarian Refugee and former U.S. Army Captain (RIF’d after Vietnam). Soltan set up the spy network and ran it from Vienna.
I worked with Army CI folks during my last year in Germany to help nail Conrad and was the first witness at his trial in Koblenz. Although we knew in 1986 that Conrad was the spy, he wasn’t arrested until 1989 - they used him to pass disinformation in the intervening years. They estimated that he left about $2 million in a Swiss bank that no one could get to. I’m sure that his wife had the account #
The key to Conrad’s success was that he was the model soldier and the guy everyone wanted checking their security plan, safe combinations, GDP, etc., etc. He was always happy working weekends making copies of documents for exercises and terrain walks.
It is well known that the Soviets did not intend a conventional attack. It would have been a COMBLOC tactical nuclear-led offensive attacking NATO C&C centers, SOSUS, sub bases, airfields, logistics centers, depots and deployment locations.
Reagan countered this plan with deployment of the mobile Pershing IIs, Lances and cruise missles ensuring NATO would have a nuclear counter-strike capability against COMBLOC units and locations. This created a tactical nuclear stalemate for Europe which thwarted the Soviet offensive plan.
Mike
“Red Storm Rising...”
Yes but with a twist. RSR was a conventional attack which, as you pointed out, would likely have failed. The Soviets based their planning on specific requirements for the offensive. Their planning at the time did not differentiate conventional and nuclear weapons like the West does. First strike use of theater-based tactical nuclear weapons was the only way they could attain the required objectives for the offensive.
Would the Soviet Politicians have ever done it? Probably not but their military was required to plan and deploy the capabilities. The rationale may have been ‘Best Defense is a Good Offense’.
Mike
In the mid-80’s, I was in Germany as a COMMO guy with HHB, 56th FA BDE...the Pershing unit.
If the worst-case scenario happened, I would’ve been there when the birds flew...heck, I might have relayed the order to do so. Chilling...glad it never happened.
Why they didn’t put a bullet into Aldrich Ames’ brain I’ll never know.
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