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Naval War College Review Volume 22 Article 19 Number 6 June 1969 June 1969 Review The .SU . Naval War College Follow this and additional works at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review Recommended Citation War College, The .SU . Naval (1969) "June 1969 Review," Naval War College Review: Vol. 22 : No. 6 , Article 19. Available at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol22/iss6/19 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Naval War College Review by an authorized editor of U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. War College: June 1969 Review Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 1969 1 Naval War College Review, Vol. 22 [1969], No. 6, Art. 19 https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol22/iss6/19 2 War College: June 1969 Review Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 1969 3 Naval War College Review, Vol. 22 [1969], No. 6, Art. 19 https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol22/iss6/19 4 War College: June 1969 Review CHALLENGE A new reaUty is symbolized by the photograph on the front of this issue. Having rested secure and unchallenged for a generation, the U.S. Navy is now faced with a worthy rivaJ, competent on Nor are the concepts put forward be the sea and effective in its mission, tween these covers directed simply growing in capability and ambition. It is toward the implications of military con the purpose of this special issue of the frontation in hot war. It is intended Naval War College Review to analyze here rather to deaJ more with the the nature of this rivaJry in as many of ramifications of this new rivalry in the its aspects as possible: to trace the context of nonbelligerent, cold war history of Soviet maritime power to its competition. Each increment of Soviet present magnitude; to comprehend the maritime power provides the Kremlin motivation which may be propelling its with an expanded range of options, all development; and to project, if possible, of which affect those open to the the latent and overt implications which United States--usually adversely. One it holds for the United States and the has only to consider the difference free world in general. between our position in the Mediter The task outlined is one of daunting ranean today and that of a few years proportions, but it is believed to be a ago to feel the force of this relationship. necessary one. The enormous effort put The Soviet seapower potential, re forth by one of the two greatest world cent though it may be, is far from powers, an effort so immediately affect superficial: it represents a concerted ing the interests of all nations, deserves thrust of an entire economy. Drawing the closest attention, especially on the on all available sources, from U.S. lend part of those who make the sea their lease to native initiative, the U.S.S.R. career. The Soviet maritime expansion has constructed over the last two has been truly phenomenaJ. From the decades a technological foundation battered disarray of 1945 has arisen a which is at once broad and profound. large, versatile, modern navy and a Training and educational facilities in dramatically expanded and versatile marine engineering, naval architecture merchant marine. Both can and do and other sciences have drawn level with traverse the world's oceans with free or exceed our own, as has the caliber of dom and confidence. personnel whom they graduate.Physical No nation which has championed installations such as shipyards are as freedom of the seas as has the United sophisticated as they are numerous. It is States could deny the right of the with these tools that Soviet maritime U.S.S.R. to exercise this new flexibility. strength is being fashioncd--not only in Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 1969 5 Naval War College Review, Vol. 22 [1969], No. 6, Art. 19 https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol22/iss6/19 6 War College: June 1969 Review Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 1969 7 Naval War College Review, Vol. 22 [1969], No. 6, Art. 19 4 THE RUSSIAN MARITIME THREAT An Approach to the Problem by Rear Admiral H.E. Eccles, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Under sponsorship of The George Washington University Logistics Research Project In this first of 10 articles, in this issue dealing with the maritime problem, the author seeks to fix the maritime element of national power into a valid and comprehensible po litico-strategic framework. The commitment of limited resources to maritime programs can only be made after a realistic appraisal of need. Even then, individual programs will be subjected to the stress and strain of the U.S. democratic political process. Introduction. The Soviet Union is growing merchant marine is more and now aclivcly exerting strong worldwide more a major world economic factor. political pressure hy means of economic This al\ adds up to the skilled aggres and military aid backed and screened hy sive use of maritime power for eco a slrong modern, and highly visible 1 nomic political ends and constitutes a naval force. Whereas a few years ago the major Lhreat to the position of the Soviet Navy was predominantly defen United States and its allies. sive and generally confined to northern oceans and eoaslal waters, it now op No study of this Russian maritime erates freely and extensively in the threat ean ignore the interaction of Mediterranean, the lndian, and the policy, strategy, and military capahility. South Atlantic Oceans. In other words, strategy is subordinate Its electronic reconnaissanee and to policy hut limited by capability. But aggressive foihing exploitation, which Lhe limits on strategy imposed by capa have been obvious for years, have been bility must, in turn, be refleetcd in extended as for as Australia. Its fast policy. https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol22/iss6/19 8 War College: June 1969 Review Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 1969 9 Naval War College Review, Vol. 22 [1969], No. 6, Art. 19 https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol22/iss6/19 10 War College: June 1969 Review Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 1969 11 Naval War College Review, Vol. 22 [1969], No. 6, Art. 19 https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol22/iss6/19 12 War College: June 1969 Review Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 1969 13 Naval War College Review, Vol. 22 [1969], No. 6, Art. 19 https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol22/iss6/19 14 War College: June 1969 Review Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 1969 15 Naval War College Review, Vol. 22 [1969], No. 6, Art. 19 https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol22/iss6/19 16 War College: June 1969 Review Published by U.S. Naval War College Digital Commons, 1969 17 Naval War College Review, Vol. 22 [1969], No. 6, Art. 19 https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol22/iss6/19 18 War College: June 1969 Review 15 Important to rmderstauding the nature of our new maritime rival is an evaluation of her capabilities and outlook. Some consideration of her intentious--as the least of possibilities opened by the .Sovi'et Union's burgeoning eompetence on the soo*'is thus inherent to any useful study thereof. 1\1ore importatit, of eourse, is analysis of the roles she is exploiting ond may exploit in the arena of international power. Russia•s own irtU1ge of herself ,md her history is significant to thu appreciation. Definitive answers are ,iot expected at this sttJge, but it is hoped that the inquiry herewith begun can lead to a cleorer view of some of the prospects for future _years. AN APPRAISAL OF SOVIET MARITIME · NAVAL CAPABILITIES An article by Professor Edward I,. Beach Stephen B. Luce Chair of Naval Science The word 11appraisalt in its <lietion• their lengthy gestation through budget, ery sense of value setting, perhaps over design, and eonstruetion stages, their states the intent of this essay. This long lives. ;\n important offshoot of this paper deliberately aims at laying out, in is that in the U.S. Navy there has a eategorieal anJ even in a provocative developed what might be termed almost way J as many aspects of Soviet maritime a fetish for perfectionism in minute capability-with partieular emphasis on detail based upon an idealistie eoncept the Soviet Navy--as possible. It doesnot of efficiency and reflecting "lessons seek to convince; that will he fora later learned H from the past. Roots of this effort. It does seek lo open the way lo a syndrome oon be found in the makeup relevant examinatlon of a complex and eareer indoctrination of the average situation of great import to the United American naval ofHeer. and not sur� States. prisingly the result is a concentration on It is prohably true that navies, more doing what has been done in the past than any other system of arms, are in better than before. thrall to the past. The aphorism that the It is the national tradition of inven� military prepares for the next war with tion and innovation whieb rescues the the weapons and techniques of the last U.S. Navy from being entirely oriented one applies lo the Navy of the United toward conceptually comfortable, if States more than to either of its sister strenuously pursued, perfection of the serviees, Reasons are easy to ascribe; the past.