Yes. The Soviets occupied West German and the war ended. But "Red Army" was based on the "Soviets winning" scenario at the end of Sir John Hacketts book "The Third World War: The Untold Story". Hacketts books are better in my opinion. In them, NATO nearly gets its ass kicked by the Soviets and things don't always break our way.
If you want another World War III scenario book read Michael Palmers "The War That Never Was". It was reportedly based on a wargame simulation by U.S. and former Soviet commanders after the Cold War ended. It is a completely nonnuclear scenario that is heavy on air and naval action. One of the really remarkable things is the Libyans fighting on the Soviet side. The Libyans end up fighting better than the Americans ever expected. The U.S. Central Command general gets relieved of his command after he in frustration orders two B-52 raids on downtown Tripoli.
Never read the book, so didn't know about all the changes. What can I say, I enjoyed the film. But then I never read the Da Vinci Code and enjoyed that film too.
I liked Sum of All Fears as a movie. A few things that stand out as great elements: 1. The cast (Morgan Freeman, James Cromwell, Liev Schreiber, Phillip Baker Hall, Ciarin Hinds...even Ben Affleck, who manages not to annoy me) 2. Mr. Grushkov! He's such an interesting and enigmatic character, I'd like to see a movie just about HIM! 3. The Russian attack on the aircraft carrier! 4. "I'm a bomb technician. If you see me running, try to keep up!" 5. Bridget Moynahan! 6. The "unconventional" depiction (or, rather, non-depiction) of the bomb going off. I liked the windows blowing out in the hospital. 7. Cabot: "Well, don't be stupid! Tell her where you're going. In fact, tell her who you work for. She'll be impressed." Jack: [to Cathy, over the phone] "OK. I work for the CIA, and the Director asked me at the last minute to come with him to Russia with him to do a nuclear arms inspection. Hello?" Cathy: "That is so lame." Jack: "No, I swear, it's because of the START treaty, we get to inspect to make sure they're really decommissioning their nuclear arsenal..." [Cathy hangs up] Jack: "Hello... hello?" [Cabot starts laughing] 8: Dressler: "So what shall we make of Chechnya, asking the West for protection? She is like a beautiful virgin, escaping the clutches of a lecherous bear... and running to Bill Clinton to save her maidenhood." All that said, I hated that they changed the villains from the book's Islamic terrorists to modern neo-Nazis, a politically correct move that was especially ironic given the timing of the film's release. And Alec Baldwin was the best Ryan IMHO. The Hunt for Red October is the best of the Jack Ryan films so far. I liked Ford in the role (and, like I said, Affleck managed not to annoy me in SOAF) but Baldwin had the more believable "everyman-turned-reluctant-hero" quality.
