Defending the Iron Curtain

“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.”  Winston Churchill- March 5, 1946

The “Iron Curtain” he referenced shortly after World War II was the border in Europe that separated the west from the east.  It separated freedom from communism and NATO from the Warsaw Pact.  A border that quickly became fortified with a fence and a wall.  The “Iron Curtain” would come to symbolize a divided world for the duration of the Cold War.

West Germany would become the focal point where NATO would prepare for an invasion by the Soviet Union.  The Fulda Gap became the likely route the communist horde would take to conquer Europe.  This area was referred to as ground zero for World War III.  The United States military was tasked with stopping the Soviet attack until reinforcements arrived.  A mission with zero chance of survival.  Yet, millions of young soldiers met this challenge over the decades of the Cold War.  Vigilant and ready to give their lives when the call came.

No mission was more important than that of the brave soldiers who served on the border.  They were tasked with guarding the border and surveilling the communist activity around the clock.  These valiant soldiers patrolled by foot and jeep a few feet from the Iron Curtain and in full view of their communist counterparts.  They regarded themselves as the tripwire responsible for alerting the supporting forces of an invasion.  A mere speed bump for any invasion.

This book provides insight into the Cold War from the unique perspective of the veterans who served on this border.