Understanding the Soviet Threat: The Necessity of Analyzing Soviet Military Thought and Actions from a Soviet Perspective

摘要

In order to evaluate the Soviet officer's actions in war properly, it is not only necessary to know his order of battle and capabilities but also to have some understanding of his preconceptions and values in the thought and decision-making processes and to evaluate his actions from that perspective. To project American values into Soviet military thought is unacceptable due to the conflicting ideological bases of the Soviet and American cultures. Proper interpretation of Soviet military thought must include an understanding of its foundation in the Marxist-Leninist ideology and the Soviet/Russian culture, as well as of its concepts such as military doctrine, science, and art. All of these are radically different from their U.S. counterparts. This thesis is written as a primer for U.S. military officers, all of whom require a fundamental understanding of the Soviet perspective.