I've always assumed that events unfolded in such a way that they became unmanageable to NATO high command. To me crossing the border into the Soviet Union herself always seemed a bit of a death wish.
Back in college, about 20 years ago, I worked on an alternate V1 timeline where NATO high command wises up a bit.
SIGINT and HUMINT gives NATO the heads up that crossing into the USSR, especially by Germans, would trigger a nuclear release. Thusly, they halt just 10-20km west of the border and put forth peace feelers though Sweden and Switzerland. Unfortunately the Italian invasion of Austria and Germany throws this idea into disarray. Backed by limited use of chemicals the Soviets launch a counter attack, but this bogs down and is never able to get more than a toe hold over the Wisla.
Come fall the majority of the fighting focuses around the Med as NATO moves to knock Italy, Greece and other Warsaw Pact allies out of the war. By the end of November 1997, Greece is wracked by civil War and northern Italy is now the pro-NATO nation of Padania. The Soviet Union too is played out but finds itself unwilling, or unable, to withdraw from China and the Middle East. The ball finally goes up on December 7th when Russian MRBMs strike multiple targets in China, including command and control bunkers outside of Beijing. NATO scrambles to avert disaster in the West and much of China and the eastern Soviet Union is irradiated.
In the West a cease-fire is reached in mid-Febrauary, and Soviet forces are withdrawn back to the USSR. Unfortunately, a coup to overthrow the Communist regime is bungled and instead sparks another Russian Civil War. The year long death throws of the Soviet Union will see a further dozen nuclear weapons used along with millions more dead. A final peace treaty isn't signed until June 15, 2000, thus bringing to an end the most destructive war in human history.
Sorry got off topic a bit there.
Benjamin
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