ABSTRACT
In Chapters 7, 10 and 13, we examine Soviet naval doctrine and the Baltic Fleet from a cultural perspective, viewing doctrine as an instrument for consolidating collective identity. Only in recent years has strategic culture attracted attention from military historians and students of international security. A basic assumption in this approach is that the notion of rational interest – whether that of a state in the context of the international system or of a military organization in the context of bureaucratic rivalry – does not offer a satisfactory explanation to human behavior. Norms – ‘collective expectations of a proper behavior of an actor with a given identity’ – are also important. In contrast to supposedly ‘objective’ rational interests, norms are subject to change. In the early twentieth century, the national selfimage of countries like Germany and Japan was that of a heroic warrior state. Since 1945, it has been that of a peaceful merchant society. This sudden redefinition of national interest is likely to reflect a change in cultural norms.1
