Agreed on your first point. Although I think massive US defense spending during the Cold War was the primary factor in deterring the Soviets from tank rushing

Agreed on your first point. Although I think massive US defense spending during the Cold War was the primary factor in deterring the Soviets from tank rushing the Fulda Gap (and Soviet domination of Europe in general). I think it’s pretty clear that the Soviets were aggressively opportunistic in expanding their political and military influence (Hungary in 1956, etc)