The partition of Europe wasn’t symmetrical. On the one hand we had a free Alliance on the other a forced cooperation. The first was a need of Europe, the second a pressure against Europe. No member of NATO went on the other side even after the Cold War but the opposite was not rare and this is a crucial point in the discussion even with propagandists.
Due to the Nash equilibrium
the Mutual assured destruction i.e. MAD
wasn’t an option for the opponents.
So the choice was simple.
No big war
and especially World War III
but only small wars,
proxy wars.
The destruction of the forces of the enemy had to be indirect to avoid any cost.
Korean War (1950 – 1953)
Vietnam War (1955 – 1975)
Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961)
But in 1956 Soviet forces invaded Hungary and removed the government and 2.500 Hungarian citizens were killed by their Big Brother.