West German participation is one of the scenario's hardest political questions. If Warsaw Pact forces had not attacked Germany, West German leaders might try to remain neutral rather than expose a recently rebuilt country to destruction on the central front. That caution would not necessarily mean sympathy for Moscow; it would reflect the catastrophic damage another German battlefield could bring. Against it stood the historical obligation created by Nazi Germany's 1940 invasion of Norway and the alliance expectation that Norway should not be left alone. A geographically limited attack could fracture NATO without defeating its forces directly.
Notable Point · 1:51:58-1:52:56
Why a Norway-only war could test West Germany
A conflict confined to Norway could tempt West Germany to avoid opening the central front even while wartime memory pulled toward helping Norway.