While I don't dispute the basics of what you've said, it misses the point that many in European NATO countries wanted and were developing a smaller and/or lower powered calibre but felt obligated to do as the USA did, (read that as it should be, they were given 'friendly encouragement' by the USA).
For example some nations were interested in the German 7.92x33mm round, they did not want a full powered battle rifle round. Most of Western Europe understood that, hence the R&D into weapons firing the .30Carbine round, the 7.92x33mm round, the Brit 7mm and so on. The first FN FAL was chambered for the 7.92x33mm and then the Brit 7mm. The French and Spanish both researched lower powered rounds with the Spanish initially adopting a lower power version of the 7.62x51mm.
They didn't throw all that away just because the USA could produce a lot of 7.62x51, they threw it all away because they were given various incentives/threats by the US government.
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