The Third World War: August 1985

SOUTHAG Southern Army Group

SP self-propelled

SSBN submarine(s), strategic ballistic nuclear

SSM surface-to-surface missile(s)

SSN submarine(s), nuclear

SNFA Standing Naval Force Atlantic

STASS surface-towed array surveillance system

SWAPO South-west Africa People’s Organization

TACCP Tactical Command Post

TAVR Territorial and Auxiliary Volunteer Reserve

UAE United Arab Emirates (in the Persian Gulf)

UAR United Arab Republic

UKADGE United Kingdom Air Defence Ground Environment

UKLF United Kingdom Land Forces

UNCLOS

United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea

UNFISMATRECO United Nations Fissile Materials Recovery Organization

UNITA National Union for the Total Independence of Angola

UNRRO United Nations Relief and Repatriation Organization

USAF United States Air Force

USAREUR United States Army in Europe

VLSI very large-scale integration

V/STOL vertical/short take-off and landing

WESTLANT Western Atlantic

WP Warsaw Pact

XO Executive Officer

Prologue

The publication of this book so soon after the cessation of hostilities between major participants in the Third World War will mean that much of what it contains will be incomplete and, even more, conjectural. In the chaotic conditions prevailing towards the end, in some key centres of power, vast quantities of records disappeared. Some have since come to light. Others probably never will.

It has nevertheless seemed important to the writers, all of whom played a part in the events of 1985 and their aftermath, whether in uniform or out of it, to put on the record as soon as possible some account, however imperfect, of what took place in a time of such transcendental importance to mankind.

We write as Britons, profoundly conscious of our debt to others. The outcome could have been vastly different — and very nearly was. The world has stood on the edge of an abyss. Under providence, through a gradual but significant shift of public attitudes and the work of growing numbers of men of foresight and good sense in the last few years before the outbreak — work often done in the face of vociferous and passionate opposition — it has been held back, but only just, from destruction. The margin, everybody now knows, was a narrow one.

Much will be said and written about these events in years to come, as further sources come to light and further thought is given to this momentous passage in the history of our world. The narrative now set out in only the broadest outline and, of our deliberate choice, in popular form, will be greatly amplified and here and there, no doubt, corrected. It seemed to us sensible, however, before these events move too far into the background of our lives, to seek answers to some important questions, in the hope that this might lessen the probability of another catastrophe from which, this time, we would not so readily escape.

The questions are simple. What happened, and why did it happen? What might have happened, and why did it not?

London, Easter, 1987

CHAPTER 1: August Dawn — The First Blows

“Black Horse One Zero, Black Horse One Zero, this is Shovel Six. Confirming Charlie One’s sighting as follows: large armored formation passed through inter-German border Zero Three Zero Five Zulu approximate brigade in size. Composed of Papa Tango 76s, Bravo Tango Romeo 62s, and Tango 72s. Inform Black Horse Six that Shovel is engaging. Out.”

Captain Jack Langtry, Troop Commander, Troop L, 3 Squadron in 11 Armored Cavalry Regiment was speaking into his microphone early on the morning of 4 August 1985 as he stood on hill 402 at Wildech, looking across the border zone over the hills rolling toward East German Eisenach. In the dawn light he saw scores of armored vehicles moving rapidly toward him on both sides of the autobahn. Langtry knew what this was: the advanced guard of an attacking Soviet formation. It could not be anything else.

The 11th Cavalry formed the main strength of the V US Corps covering force, whose job was to give the Corps maximum time in a delaying action. To the north was Kassel, out of the Corps area. To the south the Fulda Gap opened up, dangerously close to the border only 15 kilometers away.

Langtry’s fifteen Shillelagh-firing Sheridan light tanks were in hull defilade along the high ground overlooking the autobahn that ran from the border to Bad Hersfeld, directly behind him. His three platoons had practised engaging an enemy on this same route many times. Today it was for real. He gripped his microphone and heard his voice give the command, “Shovel, this is Six. Engage at will. Out.” Almost before his hand relaxed on the mike switch he heard the roar of Shillelagh missiles leaving fifteen tubes, guided on their way to targets silhouetted in the sad gray August morning.