The M65 and the Davy Crocket were designed to stop a Soviet tank invasion through the Fulda Gap[1]. NATO knew the Soviet army had a numbers advantage. Tactical

The M65 and the Davy Crocket were designed to stop a Soviet tank invasion through the Fulda Gap[1]. NATO knew the Soviet army had a numbers advantage. Tactical nukes were developed to stop a mechanized invasion with a smaller force. The idea was that a hot war could start and both sides would avoid the use of strategic nukes, since this would be a civilization ending event. 1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulda_Gap https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulda_Gap