Soviet military doctrine and the 'new political thinking': Implications for the 1990s

In the opinion of a number of Western observers, major and even radical change is taking place in Soviet views on defense and foreign affairs. It is frequently alleged that fundamental changes are being made in Soviet military doctrine, and that the "Gorbachev era" represents a veritable rejection of Marxism-Leninism. In light of the importance of our understanding of Soviet military policy for correctly shaping our own defense posture, it is imperative that our assessment of Soviet national security policy be a realistic one, and the available evidence indicates that such glowingly optimistic assessments are off the mark.;Through extensive use of primary source material, the study examines and analyzes the content of Soviet military doctrine, and points out the implications of that doctrine. This analysis of what the Soviets are saying is complemented by an examination of trends in the Soviet force structure (that is, an analysis of what they are doing). The result of this analysis is the conclusion that precious little has changed in Soviet military doctrine, and that the changes which have occurred have more to do with means than with goals. The Soviet leadership still sees competition between the two opposing social systems as inevitable, which (despite the struggle to keep this competition short of armed conflict) mandates a constant increase in the military capability of the USSR. The Soviet Union will remain a powerful political adversary and a potential military opponent into the foreseeable future, and the West ignores the enduring tenets and goals of Soviet political-military policy at its peril.;Soviet Military Doctrine and the "New Political Thinking" examines the evolution and present content of Soviet military doctrine and military art, and proceeds to analyze their implications for some of the critical Western security concerns of the 1990s. For example: How does military doctrine influence the Soviet attitude toward ballistic missile defense? How has Soviet theater nuclear policy evolved, and what will be its probable content in the 1990s? How has the "new political thinking" affected Soviet military doctrine and military art?...