Trends in Soviet military policy

The paper reviews the major doctrinal inputs into Soviet military policy, indicates important distinctions between Soviet and American approaches where appropriate, and surveys the changing nature of Soviet military capabilities so as to underscore their growing congruence with long-standing Soviet strategy. The paper discusses the doctrinal basis of Soviet defense policy, the impact of doctrine on force posture, the character and goals of the Soviet military buildup, and the developments in combat missions and forces.