COMBAT REGULATIONS OF THE SOVIET NAVY: POLITICAL WORK
Document Type:
Collection:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
0001430727
Release Decision:
RIPPUB
Original Classification:
U
Document Page Count:
20
Document Creation Date:
June 19, 2017
Document Release Date:
June 19, 2017
Sequence Number:
Case Number:
SC-2007-00006
Publication Date:
April 30, 1987
File:
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
DOC_0001430727.pdf | 1.03 MB |
Body:
APPROVED FOR RELEASE
CIA HISTORICAL RELEASE
PROGRAM
JUNE 2017
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727 AR 70-14
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington. D C.20505
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT
COMBAT REGULATIONS OF THE SOVIET NAVY:
Political Work
30 April 1987
1. The enclosed Intelligence Information Special Report is a translation of
part of a 12-chapter book on Soviet Navy combat regulations, classified SECRET
and published by the USSR Ministry of Defense in 1983. This ninth and final
report in the series provides an overview of the political work conducted by
Soviet political officers among the officer personnel and servicemen of diverse
Soviet naval units afloat and ashore. The political officer's duties and
responsibilities are covered in detail.
2. Because the source of this report is extremely sensitive, this document
should be handled on a strict need-to-know basis within recipient agencies.
Clair E. George
Deputy Director for Operations
?11H-I4-989111MBIFF-Milk-NOT-BE-ROPMB?809?
TS 1878277
Copy fc/
Page 1 of 19 Pages
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
.17("0?36C84Il
Distribution;
The Director of Central Intelligence
The Director of Intelligence and Research
Department of State
The Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Director, Defense Intelligence Agency
The Assistant to the Chief of Staff for Intelligence
Department of the Army
Director of Naval Intelligence
Department of the Navy
The Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence
U. S. Air Force
Director, National Security Agency
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Deputy Director for Intelligence
Director of Soviet Analysis
Director of Scientific and Weapons Research
Page 2 of 19 Pages
-7Z11,44
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
TS 1878277
Copy #
COUNTRY ussR
DATE OF
INFO. 1983
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
"1071.SECRAI.
Intelligence Information Special Report
SUBJECT
Page 3 of 19 Pages
DATE 30 April 1987
Combat Regulations of the Soviet Navy: Chapter 3, Political Work
SOURCE Documentary
Summary:
The following report is a translation from Russian of Chapter 3 of the
SECRET 1983 edition of the USSR.Ministry of Defense's combat regulations for the
Soviet Navy. This final chapter in the series provides an overview of the
political work conducted by Soviet political officers among the officer
personnel and crews of diverse Soviet naval units afloat and ashore. As the
watchdog of the Communist Party, the political officer is responsible for
instilling in servicemen the virtues of Marxism-Leninism, Soviet patriotism, a
heightened sense of political consciousness, high morale and military
discipline, a readiness to obey all combat orders during battle and especially
during a nuclear engagement, and ensuring that military and state secrets are
not disclosed. Also discussed are special propaganda measures (such as radio
broadcasting and leaflet distribution) which are directed at undermining the
morale of the troops and population of the enemy.
1"12510"-SECE.E2.*
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
End of Summary
TS #878277
Copy f
?
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
"3:ZPIEGRIT..
PAGE 3 (CONTINUATION)
Page 3a of 19 Pages
30 April 1987
Translator's comments appearing in the text of this report are enclosed in
brackets.
TS 1878277
Copy I
T0 ET
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
"Itsb-sriciaL
Page 4 of 19 Pages
USSR MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
Copy No.
COMBAT REGULATIONS
OF THE NAVY
FOR
DIVISION, BRIGADE, REGIMENT, AND SHIP
Put Into Effect on 26 January 1983
as Per Order No. 039
of the USSR Minister of Defense
MOSCOW
MILITARY PUBLISHING HOUSE
1983
TS 0878277
Copy 0
TO ET
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Page 5 of 19 Pages
TABLE OF CONTENTS*
CHAPTER 1: THE NAVY AND THE FUNDAMENTALS OF ITS COMBAT EMPLOYMENT IN
OPERATIONS
The Nature of Modern Wars and the Navy's Mission
The Combat Employment of the Forces of the Navy and the
Fundamentals of Naval Combat
Combat Service
CHAPTER 2: CONTROL OF FORCES
General Provisions
Control Posts
The Organization of the Monitoring of the Situation
The Organization of Communications
The Employment of Automated Control Systems
The Fundamentals of Command and Staff Work in the Control of
Forces
CHAPTER 3: POLITICAL WORK 7
CHAPTER 4: THE COMBAT ACTIVITY OF THE DIVISION, BRIGADE, AND REGIMENT
Submarine Division (Brigade)
Surface Ship Division (Brigade)
Naval Aviation Division (Regiment)
Naval Infantry Division (Regiment)
Coastal Missile-Artillery Troop Division (Brigade, Regiment)
CHAPTER 5: THE COMBAT ACTIVITY OF THE SHIP
The Preparation of the Ship for Combat Actions
The Ship's Levels of Combat Readiness
The Ship in Sea Transit
The Organization of the Defense and Protection of the Ship
The Ship in Battle
CHAPTER 6: COMBAT ACTIONS TO HIT ENEMY LAND TARGETS AND TROOPS
Comment: Although Chapters 1-2 and 4-12 are not included in this
report, their titles and subsection titles have been provided for information
purposes.
TS 1878277
Copy 1
TaPiroCALT
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
.>S111
Page 6 of 19 Pages
CHAPTER 7: COMBAT ACTIONS TO DESTROY ENEMY SUBMARINES
CHAPTER 8: COMBAT ACTIONS TO DESTROY ENEMY SURFACE SHIPS
CHAPTER 9: JOINT COMBAT ACTIONS OF NAVAL LARGE UNITS AND THE LARGE
UNITS AND UNITS FROM OTHER BRANCHES OF THE ARMED FORCES
Combat Actions to Land Amphibious Landing Forces
The Cooperation of Troops Attacking along Coastal Axes
The Cooperation of Troops Defending Coastal Axes
CHAPTER 10: COMBAT ACTIONS TO DEFEND BASING AREAS AND SEA LINES
OF COMMUNICATION
The Defense of Basing Areas
The Defense of Sea Lines of Communication
The Fundamentals of Convoy Service
CHAPTER 11: THE BASING AND REBASING (REDEPLOYMENT) OF LARGE UNITS
AND UNITS
Basing
Rebasing (Redeployment)
CHAPTER 12: THE SUPPORT OF COMBAT ACTIONS
Combat Support
Special Technical Support
Rear Services Support
TS #878277
Copy #
TO RET
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
TftaNSCRE
Page 7 of 19 Pages
CHAPTER 3: POLITICAL WORK
134. The successful combat activity of the Navy's large units, ships, and
units depends, to a decisive degree, on the high morale, political
consciousness, psychological fortitude, and combat skills of its personnel.
The high morale of the Soviet Armed Forces is determined by the advantages
of socialism and the Soviet social and state structure. The main source of
their strength derives from the fact that the organizer, leader, and mentor of
the Army and Navy is the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
Political organs (political workers) are called upon to direct all their
activity at strengthening the combat capability and combat readiness of large
units, ships, and units and to ensure that the party has a daily and undivided
impact on their entire life and activity.
Political work is an integral part of the preparation and conduct of combat
actions. It is organized and conducted in accordance with the decrees of the
taaillii-Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU] and the
Soviet Government, the orders and directives of the Supreme High Command and the
USSR Minister of Defense, the directives and instructions of the Main Political
Directorate of the Soviet Army and Navy, the orders and directives of the
Commander in Chief of the Navy, and the directives and instructions of the
Political Directorate of the Navy.
Political work is directed at firmly and consistently putting the
requirements of the CPSU Program and the policies of the Communist Party into
practice within the Armed Forces and successfully executing combat tasks in
order to achieve the complete defeat of the enemy.
135. The content of political work is determined by the decrees of the
Communist Party and the Soviet Government, by the special features of the
military-political situation, and also by the goals of combat actions. The
specific tasks in political work under conditions of combat activity are
determined on the basis of the commander's combat order (decision).
136. The organization and conduct of political work is an extremely
important duty of all commanders (senior officers) and political workers. They
must firmly and consistently carry out the party's policies in large units and
units and on ships, and comprehensively take into consideration and make maximum
use of the morale-political, combat, and psychological capabilities of personnel
for the successful execution of combat tasks.
TS #676277
Copy I
10171161114....
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Page 8 of 19 Pages
The commander of a large unit, unit, or ship is fully responsible for the
combat and political preparation, political morale, and military discipline of
personnel.
137. The head of the political department, the political officer
[zamestitel? komandira po politicheskoy chasti] of a large unit, or the
political officers of large units, ships, and units directly organize and carry
out political work and are responsible for its condition and effectiveness when
combat tasks are being performed, for the military indoctrination of servicemen,
and for the political morale and military discipline of personnel. In their
practical activities, political officers are guided by the Statutes on the
Political Organs of the Soviet Army and Navy and by the instructions and
statements of the CPSU Central Committee. In accordance with the specific
situation and the nature of the tasks to be executed, and on the basis of the
commander's combat order and the instructions of the higher political organs,
political officers must do the following: determine the content of political
work for the period of the preparation and conduct of combat actions; personally
direct political work in combat; assign tasks to subordinate political workers;
assign and instruct the officers (political workers) of the political department
[politotdel]; show initiative and creativity in seeking out the most effective
forms of political work to mobilize personnel for the successful execution of
the assigned task under the diverse conditions of a situation; and report in a
timely manner to the commander of a large unit, ship, or unit and to the higher
political organ about the political morale of personnel and the political
measures which have been conducted.
138. The tasks of political work in a large unit, on ships, and in units
when combat actions are being prepared are as follows:
-- rallying personnel around the Communist Party and the Soviet Government
and explaining the leading and guiding role of the CPSU to servicemen;
-- indoctrinating servicemen in the following: the jaw of Marxism-
Leninism and thealtit of Soviet patriotism; selfless devotion to the socialist
homeland; the Communist Party, and the Soviet Government; the indestructiblia
unity and fraternal friendship of the peoples of the USSR; socialist
internationalism; taithfulngsm.to the military oath and the Combat Banner of
their military unit (the Navy Flag); sk191"obseryange. of the requirements of
Soviet laws and military regulations; parsonal responsibility for the defense of
the homeland -- the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and readiness to give
all one's efforts and, if required, one's life in its defense;
-- mobilizing personnel to execute their assigned combat tasks and
maintaining the high combat readiness and combat effectiveness of forces;
TS #878277
Copy I
TO ET
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
eswgzs
Page 9 of 19 Pages
-- carrying out the morale-political and psychological preparation of
personnel for the conduct of decisive, energetic combat actions and the
achievement of victory over the enemy;
-- explaining the causes, nature, and military-political goals of the war,
the tasks of the Armed Forces of the USSR, and the international and domestic
position of the Soviet Union and the other countries of the socialist
commonwealth; instilling personnel with class hatred for the imoerialists and
all enemies of communism_
-And exposing the reactionary policies of the aggressor;
and strengthening the profound faith of personnel in the rightness of our cause
and in victory over the enemy;
-- disseminating to personnel in a timely manner the decisions of the
Communist Party and the Soviet Government and also the tasks arising from the
orders of the Supreme High Command, the Commander in Chief of the Navy, the
commanders in chief of fleets and flotillas, and the commanders of squadrons,
large units, ships, and units; and mobilizing servicemen to carry them out;
-- ensuring the active influence of political means on the timely and
precise execution of tasks to bring a large unit, ship, or unit to full combat
readiness in the shortest possible time and to deploy in the combat action area
in an organized manner; imbuing personnel with a high sense of responsibility
for mastering combat equipment and weapons and keeping them in constant combat
readiness; instilling personnel with confidence in the power and might of the
weapons entrusted to them;
-- strengthening conscientious military discipline and ensuring efficient
and precise fulfillment of orders, faultless diligence, and good organization;
and comprehensively strengthening the unity of command and the authority of
commanders (senior chiefs) and instilling readiness to protect them in battle;
-- indoctrinating personnel in the revolutionary and combat traditions of
the CPSU, the Soviet people, the Armed Forces, the Navy, and their own formation
[ob"yedineniye], large unit, ship, or unit; publicizing combat exploits by
Soviet servicemen and by servicemen from the armies and navies of the fraternal
socialist countries and the labor successes of the Soviet people and the people
of the countries of the socialist commonwealth;
-- looking after officers' mastery of Marxist-Leninist theory and modern
military science and technology and imbuing them with a spirit of high
responsibility for the comprehensive preparation of large units, ships, and
units to conduct actions and for the firm, stable, and continuous control of
ships, combat units, and subunits; developing in officers initiative,
creativity, efficiency, and precision in their work and the ability to correctly
assess and take into account the military-political and combat situation and to
TS #878277
Copy #
"ItIrsacaL.
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
""TZPIECILL,L.
Page 10 of 19 Pages
use the entire might of combat equipment and the morale and physical
capabilities of personnel to achieve success;
-- indoctrinating personnel in constant high vigilance and responsibility
for keeping military and state secrets; implementing measures to prevent the
infiltration of spies and saboteurs onto ships and into units; exposing and
decisively suppressing the enemy's hostile propaganda and possible provocations;
and developing the capabilities of personnel to resist the enemy's ideological
and psychological influence;
-- establishing close ties with the commanders and political organs of
cooperating large units and units of the Navy and of other branches of the Armed
Forces; coordinating and carrying out joint political measures; and constantly
exchanging information, combat experience, and political work experience;
-- indoctrinating personnel in the spirit of combat collaboration among
servicemen of the armies and navies of fraternal socialist countries; and
coordinating combined measures carried out with the political organs of
cooperating units and large units;
-- maintaining close ties with party and state organs; establishing correct
relations with the local population; and looking after the preservation of
historical monuments and articles of material and cultural value in the combat
action area;
-- carrying out measures to evaluate and rapidly put into service
[political] reinforcements as they arrive and to replace political workers and
party and Komsomol activists who have been put out of action;
-- organizing systematic information on the political, morale, and combat
condition of personnel;
-- making sure that large units, ships, and units are continually provided
with everything they need for life and combat, that the everyday material and
cultural needs of personnel are met, that the wounded and sick receive timely
medical assistance and are evacuated from ships (out of units), and also that
burials are organized for Soviet servicemen who fall in battle in defense of the
homeland;
-- and organizing and conducting ideological warfare (special propaganda)
against the enemy.
139. The successful performance of tasks in political work during the
preparation and conduct of combat actions requires the following from all
political organs: skillfully combining ideological and organizational work;
constantly reinforcing party organizations, showing concern for assigning party
TS #878277
Copy if
ET
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
1.151,16CO3L.
Page 11 of 19 Pages
members on ships and in units, bringing the political cadres of ships and units
up to full strength, and forming reserves; making extensive use in political
work of the press and cultural and educational institutions; providing forces
with mobile technical propaganda means; and conducting combat political
agitation.
140. From the beginning of combat actions, political work is directed at
supporting energetic and decisive combat actions to destroy enemy naval forces
at sea, on the ocean, and at bases and to destroy assigned targets on enemy
territory.
In deployed large units and units and on ships, political work is directed
at efficiently conducting full mobilization, rapidly bringing those units to
readiness to execute combat tasks, taking measures for the combat coordination
of the crews of ships and units, and supporting their commitment to battle.
141. When combat actions are conducted without the employment of nuclear
weapons, political work is directed at ensuring the stable morale-political,
combat, and psychological superiority of the personnel of large units, ships,
and units over the enemy and at successfully executing their assigned tasks.
In political work special attention is concentrated on the following:
ensuring high effectiveness in fire destruction of the enemy and the achievement
of surprise during strike delivery; ensuring decisiveness in offensive combat
and persistence and steadfastness when on the defensive; maintaining weapons and
equipment in constant readiness and indoctrinating servicemen in the power and
might of our weapons and combat equipment; providing a personal example of
courage, daring, and coolness in battle on the part of command and political
personnel, party members, and Komsomol members; and maintaining ships and units
in constant readiness for immediate actions to protect personnel and to use
weapons of mass destruction if such weapons are employed by the enemy.
142. When conducting combat actions with the employment of nuclear weapons,
the most important tasks in political work are: ensuring timely and complete
implementation of measures to repel an enemy nuclear attack and ensuring the
precise execution of the order to deliver our own nuclear strikes and also use
the results of such strikes in support of the execution of the combat task;
maintaining high morale among personnel; and mobilizing personnel to implement
measures in a timely manner to protect themselves against the enemy's weapons of
mass destruction and rapidly restore the combat capability of forces that have
been subjected to nuclear strikes.
To this end the following measures are organized:
-- explaining the particular importance of their combat tasks to the
personnel of large units, ships, and units participating in nuclear strikes
TS #878277
Copy #
TO ET
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
701"3ECItel_
Page 12 of 19 Pages
against the enemy and indoctrinating them in their responsibility to keep secret
the strikes that are being prepared;
-- conducting political work to maintain the morale-psychological
steadfastness and readiness of servicemen to execute their assigned tasks at any
cost, including self-sacrifice;
-- conducting political work to restore the combat capability of combat-
disabled large units, ships, and units, their party-political machinery, and
their party and Komsomol organizations and selecting and instructing newly
assigned political workers and activists.
The personal example of commanders and political workers -- their courage,
self-control, and persistence in carrying out orders and suppressing panic and
confusion -- is an important means of mobilizing personnel to act decisively and
selflessly under such conditions.
143. During the preparation and conduct of combat actions, particular
attention is devoted to carrying out morale-political and psychological
preparation measures among personnel.
Political work to achieve these ends is directed at indoctrinating
servicemen in the spirit of Soviet patriotism, socialist internationalism,
communist morality, and the struggle against hostile ideologies and propaganda
and is directed at forming within personnel an inflexible desire for victory,
selflessness, steadfastness, decisiveness, persistence, courage, and the ability
to withstand great moral, physical, and psychological stress and to use combat
equipment and weapons under any conditions of a situation.
144. Political work in the various of combat activities is organized and
conducted taking into consideration the specific tasks, the forces allotted to
perform them, and the developing situation; and it is directed at maintaining
the constant high morale-political, combat, and psychological readiness of
personnel to execute their assigned tasks and at instilling combat vigor,
bravery, and fearlessness when overcoming the enemy's deeply echeloned
antisubmarine, antiair, and antimine defense in sea transit and in the combat
action area.
To this end the following are carried out:
-- explaining to personnel the nature of the assigned task and the
Importance of executing it;
-- mobilizing servicemen to maintain high combat readiness and vigilance,
precise performance of watch duty while underway, accident-free operation of
TS #878277
Copy #
ET
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Page 13 of 19 Pages
combat equipment, and high quality preparation of the weapons and technical
means which ensure the execution of the combat task;
-- maintaining and developing in commanders the high qualities of
resoluteness, initiative, independence, the ability to make decisions
efficiently and boldly and persistently enact them, and responsibility for the
effective use of combat equipment and weapons and for the unconditional
execution of a combat order;
-- instructing the party and Komsomol activists of watch sections, ships,
and aircraft about the forms and methods of operating in a combat situation and
intensifying political work with key-specialty personnel;
-- strengthening individual work to ensure the personal exemplariness of
officers and party and Komsomol activists when executing combat tasks under
conditions of enemy employment of nuclear weapons, and mobilizing all personnel
to restore the combat capability of forces and the readiness of weapons and
technical means as quickly as possible;
-- showing concern about providing personnel with everything they need to
perform combat actions and protracted (at-sea) deployments or flights;
-- indoctrinating personnel in the spirit of high vigilance, ensuring the
covertness of measures under preparation, and observing all cover-and-deception
measures; .
-- carrying out political work to support precise and uninterrupted
cooperation between ships and units of the Navy and other branches of the Armed
Forces;
-- indoctrinating personnel to have confidence in the effectiveness of
shipboard means of protection and defense and maintaining the combat capability
and aggressive spirit of personnel for successful execution of combat tasks in
any situation;
-- carrying out active political indoctrination work among the personnel of
missile, missile-gunnery, and mine-torpedo combat units, control, communication,
and radiotechnical service combat units, and reconnaissance and radioelectronic
warfare [RES] subunits so their personnel can be mobilized to execute antiair
and antisubmarine defense tasks and skillfully conduct radioelectronic warfare.
145. When fleet large units and units and other branches of the Armed
Forces are conducting joint combat actions, political work is conducted in a
differentiated manner, taking into account the specifics and special features of
the tasks being performed by the participating forces.
TS #878277
Copy #
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
.1t110?SfiCAZI
Page 14 of 19 Pages
Under these conditions, the main content of political work is:
-- explaining to personnel the specific tasks and methods for carrying them
out and the importance of cooperation with the coastal flank of ground troops,
and assigning and instructing political workers and party and Komsomol activists
in order to ensure effective political influence on servicemen and to mobilize
them to conduct actions decisively and with initiative;
-- strengthening combat cooperation between the personnel of the Navy and
other branches of the Armed Forces, maintaining communications with the
commanders and political workers of cooperating units and large units, and
stably directing political Work in joint combat actions, especially in
arphibious landings;
-- ensuring organized embarkation of landing forces onto ships, showing
concern for the living conditions of landing force troops on ships, and
maintaining their high combat spirit and certainty that they will be reliably
covered during sea transit.
146. When organizing political work in large units, on ships, and in units
of the different types of forces of the Navy, special tasks related to their
combat function, organizational structure, and armament must be taken into
consideration in addition to normal requirements.
With this in mind, the special features of political work are as follows:
On submarines -- maintaining the high morale-political, combat, and
psychological condition among the crew, building up its combat vigor, and
ensuring constant readiness for decisive actions under the difficult conditions
of a protracted (at-sea] deployment; strictly observing safety requirements and
measures to preclude unsanctioned missile launches; inculcating initiative,
creativity, courage, and persistence when searching for and destroying enemy
missile submarines and aircraft carriers, carrying out reconnaissance tasks, and
laying mines; concentrating efforts on maintaining covertness when performing
combat tasks; having constant political influence on the personnel of watch
sections and ensuring their readiness to execute the combat task when ordered
to; and systematically disseminating combat and political information to the
crew;
On surface ships-- strengthening the crew's confidence in the combat
stability and capabilities of weapons and technical means and indoctrinating it
to conduct combat actions with great vigor, initiative, and persistence;
conducting political measures to monitor the use of communications and
observation means and to maintain the secrecy of preparations, the time ships
put to sea, their transit route, and the combat action area; and intensifying
political work in damage-control parties, ensuring competent and selfless
TS #878277
Copy #
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
1-15IPIECizzl
Page 15 of 19 Pages
actions of the crew for damage control, and restoring the combat capability of
the ship under any conditions of a situation;
In naval aviation -- indoctrinating personnel to have high combat vigor and
morale-political and psychological steadfastness, ability to know how to
skillfully use aviation equipment, and readiness to act courageously and
decisively under conditions where the enemy is employing nuclear weapons;
increasing political influence on the development of high personal
responsibility for the timely and accurate execution of the tasks of detecting
and destroying enemy submarines, aircraft carriers, and other groupings of
surface ships on the part of crews of missile-carrying, ASW, and attack
aviation* instilling courage to overcome the enemy's antiair defense and
instilling boldness and decisiveness combined with accurate calculation and
justified risk-taking, and ensuring constant readiness for immediate actions by
aircraft crews on alert at airfields and on ships; precisely organizing combat
sorties; mobilizing engineering and technical personnel to provide high-quality
preparation of aviation equipment and weapons for the execution of the combat
task; and rapidly restoring damaged aircraft;
In navalinfantnf-- explaining to personnel the nature and special features
of the impending battle and disseminating necessary information to them about
the enemy; strengthening political work in subunits operating on the main axis;
and maintaining and developing in personnel an aggressive spirit, combat vigor,
fearlessness and daring when attacking, steadfastness, mutual aid, and courage
when defending, and resoluteness to repel and defeat the enemy;
In coastaIngssile-ardHerftroops -- maintaining the constant morale-political,
combat, and psychological readiness of personnel for decisive and skillful
actions when delivering strikes against enemy ships, convoys, and landing ship
detachments, maintaining the high combat skills of servicemen and the superior
knowledge and upkeep of their weapons, and also maintaining means of control in
constant readiness for trouble-free combat employment; and indoctrinating
commanders and staff officers to take responsibility for ensuring stable combat
control under any conditions of a situation and for the timely and precise
preparation of data prior to weapons employment;
In rear services large units and units-- mobilizing personnel for timely,
complete, and uninterrupted rear services support of large units, ships, and
units; supplying them with ammunition, fuel, foodstuffs, and other materiel
necessary for life, for the conduct of combat operations, and for the persistent
struggle for the survivability of the rear services; imbuing auxiliary fleet
personnel with high morale-political, combat, and psychological qualities; and
concentrating attention on the organization of timely medical assistance, the
evacuation of the wounded and sick, and the organization of defense and
protection of rear services installations;
TS #878277
Copy #
RET
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
"TO.PIECaLf
Page 16 of 19 pages
In large units and units of special troops and special services -- mobilizing
personnel to successfully execute their assigned combat tasks under any
conditions of a situation.
147. Political work in staffs is directed at the following:
-- raising the ideological conditioning of officers, mobilizing them to
improve their operational-tactical and military-technical preparation, and
maintaining the constant combat readiness of ships, units, and subunits;
-- forming in officers high organizational qualities, initiative, and a
creative approach to the execution of their duties;
-- and instilling in officers personal responsibility for precise planning
and organization of battle, timely dissemination of combat tasks to ships and
units, carrying out cooperation measures, ensuring high vigilance, keeping
military and state secrets, ensuring the uninterrupted operation of
communications centers (especially under conditions of radioelectronic
countermeasures), strict observance of the rules of covert control of forces,
and reliable protection and defense of command posts.
148. In the performance of combat service and combat duty, political work
is organized in a differentiated manner and is directed at maintaining the high
combat readiness of the forces of the Navy to conduct combat actions and at
explaining to personnel in detail the national importance of the tasks being
performed.
To this end the following measures are organized:
-- assigning party and Komsomol activists and party and Komsomol members
most expediently to ships, subunits, compartments, watch sections, and aircraft
crews; instructing them on problems of organizing political work among
personnel;
-- having commanders and political workers make an in-depth study and
analysis of the morale-political, combat, and psychological condition of
personnel and implementing measures to strengthen it;
-- instilling in servicemen the ability to effectively perform their combat
tasks during a difficult and protracted (at-sea) deployment;
-- strengthening political work among key specialists;
-- explaining the special features of the actions of personnel during the
performance of combat duty tasks and combat alert tasks and mobilizing personnel
TS #878277
Copy f
"roPlacgEL
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
1.5.15"3961141.
Page 17 of 19 Pages
to stand vigilant watches, use weapons and combat equipment skillfully, and
maintain them in constant readiness for combat;
-- directing personnel to strictly fulfill the requirements specified in
operating Instructions and manuals, especially those ensuring the survivability
of the ship, its weapons and technical means, and the rules for preventing
accidents;
-- disseminating to personnel information about the military-political
situation in the deployment area and necessary information about the enemy and
his political morale;
-- instilling servicemen with complete confidence in the power and might of
the weapons entrusted to them;
-- having commanders and political workers interact daily with personnel to
mobilize them for flawless fulfillment of their responsibilities and decisive
prevention of possible instances of negligence, carelessness, and
irresponsibility;
-- and constantly monitoring the schedule for work and time off of
personnel, sanitary-hygienic conditions, and satisfaction of the materiel and
everyday needs of personnel.
149. When large units and ships of the Navy call at foreign ports,
political work is directed at the following: explaining to personnel the Soviet
Union's lofty international mission and the special features of the situation in
the given country; ensuring high vigilance and the combat readiness of weapons
and equipment; protecting and defending the ships; keeping them in exemplary
condition; ensuring that servicemen maintain their honor and dignity as Soviet
citizens, and strictly carrying out the prescribed rules of conduct abroad.
150. Based on the combat task received and the decision made by the
commander of a large unit or ship (unit), the political department (political
officer) works out a plan for political work for the time of the preparation and
conduct of a battle and organizes its fulfillment.
The plan specifies the following:
-- the tasks and specific measures of political work for execution of the
combat order and the procedures for disseminating them to the executors;
-- the assignment of the party-political forces and the instruction of
commanders and political workers of large units, ships, and units on problems of
political work;
TS #878277
Copy #
TO RET
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
TorSTOW.
Page 18 of 19 Pages
-- organizational and ideological indoctrination work to maintain high
morale-political, combat, and psychological qualities in personnel and to ensure
constant political influence on key-specialty personnel;
-- and the organization of cooperation with the political organs of large
units and units participating in the execution of the combat task, the routing
of political information up and down (the chain of command), and provision of
ships and units with political education materials and technical propaganda
means.
The plan for political work is closely linked to the plan of combat actions
and is approved by the appropriate commander.
151. An important integral part of political work in a combat situation is
the conduct of special propaganda among personnel of the enemy's ships and units
and among his population. It is conducted to undermine the enemy's political
morale, break down his will to resist, and induce him to leave the war.
The main content of special propaganda consists of explaining the just goals
of the war from the point of view of the Soviet Union and the countries of the
socialist commonwealth, exposing the aggressor's conduct of the war as being
essentially against the people and reactionary in nature, and demonstrating the
inevitability of victory by the socialist commonwealth and the defeat of the
imperialist coalition.
Special propaganda is closely linked to the concept of the battle and the
course of combat actions and comprehensively takes into consideration the
political morale of the enemy's troops and population. It is jointly organized
and conducted by the political department and staff of a large unit.
Special propaganda is conducted by broadcasting over radio stations and
mobile loudspeaker systems and by distributing leaflets.
152. Political work must be conducted continuously, purposefully, and
efficiently and must be conducted with even greater vigor the more difficult and
demanding the situation is and the more crucial the tasks being performed.
Highly active and continuous political work is achieved by:
-- assigning tasks to the commanders and political workers of ships and
units in a timely manner and instructing them on matters concerning the content,
forms, and methods of political work among personnel;
-- maintaining continous communication between the staff and the political
department and exchanging information on a mutual basis; having political
workers possess an in-depth knowledge and estimate of the combat situation, the
decisions made by the commander, and the instructions given; efficiently
TS 1878277
Copy #
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727
-701,1156124.
Page 19 of 19 Pages
reacting to changes in the situation; and seeking out and reliably carrying out
the most effective methods of influencing the morale-political, combat, and
psychological condition of personnel in support of the execution of the assigned
task;
-- constantly showing concern for the stable control of political work;
strengthening party and Komsomol organizations; raising their level of activity
and combativeness; increasing political influence on all aspects of the life and
activity of personnel; correctly assigning party and Komsomol members and using
them as an example; and promptly replacing political workers who have been put
out of action;
-- maintaining a high level of ideology and organization in political
measures and creatively employing a variety of forms and methods of
organizational and ideological indoctrination work appropriate to the combat
tasks and the combat situation;
-- and organizing continuous, efficient, and reliable combat and political
information from below on the state of affairs; knowing the frame of mind and
needs of personnel and reacting to them in a timely manner; and constantly
keeping personnel informed about important party and government documents and
the military-political situation during combat actions.
TS #878277
Copy #
T OCT
Approved for Release: 2017/06/16 C01430727