Writing a book - Research

Hello Friends. I am in the process of writing a book that would be set in 1961 that would span a fictional conflict between East and West Germany. While I know a decent about about what types of weapons and equipment countries used, I really am unsure of when certain things would have come into service. My question I guess is there a source on what soldiers in 1961 would have been using on both sides? Thank you for any info, if you want more insight on what I am writing I made a thread on /lit/ the other day that can be found here:

Attached: West_German_Bundeswehr_1960.jpg (1350x1000, 673K)

Other urls found in this thread:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_War
twitter.com/NSFWRedditGif

Yeah.

I am not sure if I should love or hate you yeah poster.

Here's an ongoing thread about the DDR:
There you may find some early images of the NVA and what their equipment would be (In 1961 they would be wearing the floral pattern, not the later raindrop camo that they're most famous for) You can see from your own image what the Bundeswehr was wearing at that point.
The NVA's main tanks would be T-54 & T-55, with the Bundeswehr would have M47 & M48 Pattons and M41 Walker-Bulldogs. No Leopard 1 yet, those came in the mid 1960s.
Reserve forces on both sides could still be using USSR/US weapons from WW2. Kind of basic info but there wasn't too much special; NVA had their MPi-K AK-47/AKM and the Bundeswehr had the G1 FAL and was transitioning to the H&K G3.

Attached: T-55nva01_zps5a8bfd0c.png (1024x720, 541K)

Unless you're going into more complicated pieces of equipment, Wikipedia should be fine as a starting point.

Thank you user. However I think even you are not fully correct in what the NVA were using at the time. They did not start using the MPi-K until 1964. Kind of the little stuff I am unsure on, but everything else you said was a big help. Also would the West Germans of had Uzi's at that point? I feel like tank crews might have used them.

Also I have been lurking that East German thread, thanks again fren :)

Logically, to me, the conflict would have to be near or during the Cuban Missile Crisis for both the US and USSR not to get involved in any conflict going on between the two Germany's. Which is kinda where wikipedia is lacking.

wait I take back that MPi-K comment, you were right user. I am sorry.

No problems. Like said, Wikipedia gives a pretty basic outline of what each force would have around that time. There's little that's unique to them in terms of weapons because both were using their sponsor state's arms or at least their own variants. Not sure about Uzi's being used by tankers then.
Any scenario involving a war between the two Germany's would also involve larger moves by NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Germany was each sides main point of launching an attack, or staging a, defense in Europe. It's honestly not realistic to have a scenario where it's purely the Germans fighting each other but you may able to create your own setting for that.

Attached: Checkpoint Charlie Soviet tanks facing American tanks, 1961.jpg (1600x1204, 405K)

That is why I was thinking a conflict during the Missile Crisis could be a potential point where both sides do not want to touch the situation given its potential volatility. Kind of similar to what happened between China and India during the Crisis: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_War
While I realize that there was not too much political ramifications that would come from that conflict it does show that it could be a possibility. Also my idea was that if West Germany fell that NATO would have no choice but to get involved and would lead to nuclear war. I was planning on having a conversation between my main character and his CO over the phone about this exact issue actually.