The West wasn't going to go to war, so, in effect, nothing could be done. Which was first used against the Vatican, I would remind the reader of the role played by the current Pope in toppling Stalin's successors. The Pope, it seems, has many divisions and they were a lot more powerful than Stalin's minions. Well, Gorbichev's minions. I seriously doubt if Stalin and Beria would have reacted with the restraint that Gorbichev and Shevernadzhe did.
Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers.