268 
economic considerations relevant, even crucial, so also are “‘people, 
who handle the means of struggle. The Party therefore pays unre- 
mitting attention to the ideological and moral-psychological training 
and to the combat skill of Soviet soldiers. The improvements in arma- 
ments—is inseparably linked with the constant ideological growth of 
Soviet soldiers, and the raising of their moral-psychological qualities 
and military expertise’’.*” 
_ The Party has absolute authority as the sole definer of military 
doctrine, or dogma, at any one time. The military leadership’s author- 
ity is absolutely limited as within the frame of the definitions. It 
must “proceed from” doctrine, and can develop and study only 
“concrete problems.” It can put the theory into practice, and it can 
develop the theory’s implications, but it cannot alter the theory. It 
can control and manipulate the material and tasks accorded to it 
by the theory, except for ““modern weapons,” which are in a special 
category: They “are such that the political leadership cannot let them 
escape its control.” °% That is to say, they and their potential use 
have political implications which inherently categorize them as falling 
within military doctrine. 
The military will have some voice in the formulation of doctrine, 
through their roles within the Party, and through their research into 
“military art’’ and ‘“‘science’’—upon the conclusions of which doctrine 
rests. But as concerns that research, it must be noted that its pursuit 
is closely coordinated by the Party. In fact, not only is there Party 
representation on the relevant research bodies within the armed forces 
structure, there are also independent, parallel, “controlling” nonmili- 
tary research bodies under the direct supervision of the Party 
Secretariat (such as Academy of Sciences Institutes—IUSA and 
IMEMO in particular).*° 
THE ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE SOVIET ‘‘CIVILIAN”’? FLEET 
Soviet “‘civilian fleets’ provide a good example of Soviet strategy 
in practice. The explicit, conscious and comprehensive intertwining 
and coordination of civilian and military tasks and concerns has reaped 
definitive quantitative (financial) and qualitative fruit. 
Shipbuilding, radio and electronics and other defense-related minis- 
tries are closely supervised by the Military-Industrial Commission, 
which is itself accountable both to the Council of Ministers and 
(through the Ministry of Defense) to the strategic high command. 
There are military representatives on planning and executive bodies; 
‘where necessary for security reasons there are purely military sub- 
departments/sections/enterprises (the exclusion of the state civilian 
sector does of course not entail the exclusion of the Party—viz previ- 
ous comments re Party-military integration. There are military-Party 
committees at all levels, on research teams as on PT boats). 
7 Ibid. 
38 Krasnaya Zvezda, January 5, 1967; see also e.g. Krasnaya Zvezda, January 15, 1970. 
39 See attached charts. 
49 See charts. 
