ABSTRACT
A consistent theme in modern Soviet naval writings is an emphasis on the effectiveness of naval forces, not only as defenders against armed aggression, but also as instruments of peacetime state policy. Looking eastward from, the Kremlin over the vast expanse of Siberia, the remoteness of the Pacific must indeed have seemed the last outpost of civilization to early Russian settlers. The period of the mid-1970s was a time of US withdrawal from a predominant military presence in the Pacific region. In many respects, the sudden imperative for increased Soviet naval force levels in the Pacific may be related directly to the restoration of full diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States, which closely followed the Sino-Japanese treaty. Despite the dramatic growth that has transformed the coastbound Far East Flotilla into a modern ocean fleet, there are weaknesses in the Soviet Pacific force that affect important mission areas.
