COMBAT REGULATIONS OF THE SOVIET NAVY: POLITICAL WORK

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0001430727
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RIPPUB
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U
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20
Document Creation Date: 
June 19, 2017
Document Release Date: 
June 19, 2017
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Case Number: 
SC-2007-00006
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April 30, 1987
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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. 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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. 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