ABSTRACT

This article describes the general continuity of Soviet military doctrine. This has been conditioned by historical factors, the Soviet Union’s role as a continental land power, and the consequent dominance of the Soviet Ground Forces in Soviet military planning. As a result, even with the advent of nuclear weapons, the USSR still has a conservative approach towards modern military strategy. The article probes the sources of Soviet military thought, the nature of its nuclear strategy, and the possibility for changes in that strategy during the 1980s.