OT Berlin pre TWL2000
 

Playing a game of GDW Third World War on Vassal and one question came up from setup.

What would NATO response have been if the Soviets mobilized but ONLY invaded BERLIN?

Do you think pre-TWL 2000 NATO would have invade East Germany?

IMO, the reaction would be that "shooting is shooting," and NATO would (perhaps cautiously?) move to break that assault.

Depends slightly on when:

• 1970s - probably, but depends more on the support from NATO, as NATO ground forces are weaker and less sure of their qualitative advantage.
  
  
• 1980s - definitely, as Berlin would be see either as a prequel (and a counter attack to relieve the garrison would be start before another shoe could drop), or as a unacceptable aggression. I don't think the US (under Reagan) or the UK (under Thatcher) would hesitate.

Uncle Ted

Berlin was part of the West, even if surrounded by the East. Pact aggression there would absolutely have triggered WWIII.
How far NATO went in response really depends quite heavily on the overall political situation.

So I had the Russians attack Berlin and the NATO attempted to attack into East Germany. They were stopped cold and the Soviet reserve forces encircled them and penetrated as far as the English Channel.