Khrushchev's Recent Military Policy

Studies in the Communitist System

Abstract

Khrushchev's military policy aims at preventing war. Therefore it places importance on efforts to weaken capitalism. Concerning arms, it focuses on how to prepare for a nuclear surprise attack. However, it is not so serious as that of the United States regarding preparation for retaliative attack. He gives great efforts toward making a show of stronger military force than actual by his propaganda and secrecy. He also emphasizes common type of armed forces as well as those of rockets and nuclear weapons, believing in importance of a combination of various types of forces. Countermeasures toward the big loss of young men in the Soviet-German war is the present basis of his military policy.
After the incident of the U2 aircraft, he began to reinforce the armed forces in earnest and to make an effort for a collective defence organization of socialist countries. But Khrushchev's military policy is vacilating at present and the military authorities seem to be dragged around by his capricious ideas.