Documents / FOIA release
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum to the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, dated December 1961, sends a verbatim translation of a Soviet article from the TOP SECRET version of the journal Military Thought. The article, "The Theory of Military Art Needs Review" by Colonel-General A. Gastilovich, appeared in the first 1960 issue. It argues that nuclear missiles call for short "blitz" wars, smaller ground forces and missile troops as the main arm. It has no UFO content.
41111PSIZET ' E E • operatiooal, or even strategic, reserves can hardly be expected. It is more likely that it will be necessary to overcame the resistance of enemy troops retreating feces the border sans. To exploit the first powerful alssile strike it will be completely unnecessery to deploy a lore number of divisices, as wes done in past wars. Inking over the border zone and the somas of total destruction and radiation will necessitate special- orgenisatice and preparation of troops but will not, at all, necessitate multi-million-man armies. the execution of this type of mission in the SurOpeen theater of military operations on a front of 600-700 km, for exaspla, is possible with 20-25 divisions, primarily tank, rethin k' ahead aloes separate axes and La separate heatalbettles, pounding the large units end units at the enemy which offer realetanos in the abate- mentiomed sones. or course e significant portico of these troops sill suffer from seamy nuclier strikes; relativelyftnennet re- of entire large units which have sustained heavy losses will be necessary. For this reason there shon34 be 10-15 more reserve division behind then; In sll 3040 divieloes, well equipped with tectleal nuclear weapons, and which will maks up the first operational echelon, will be required. Organisationally, the strike of the first operatic:eel echelon in a some of 600-700 know he reprenented.by two fronts of 15-20 divisions Nick plme a certain member of 43:slaloms of airborne forces, (2 ar 3 for a fromt). A front say ecaelat of 2 or 3 armies at 4 or 5 divisions, each acting in a some of 100 to 200km, plus a certain namber of divisions of the front reserve. Forces, nebilisel in the interior of the country, can arrive gradually in the theater of military operatic, probably after the completion of the first operaticss at therscsq,and their principal role will consist of ccenpatioe or captured territory. If: after taking over the territory at a commtry subjected to the first massive nuclear attacks the emasy dmewnot egpitalate a stellar all-shattering strike asy be repeated on the next country. Maths starementiomeavit &me met follower tooris the% those divisions which willtefia action is the first opexatiomal 'cholas at around troops viii be sufficient for the war as a shale. It is merest that is accordamcewith the farmer& momemeet a alipsiti- cant number of troops which b y been desigmated for carrrbii oat
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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 28 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.