Documents / FOIA release
This Central Intelligence Agency memorandum of 18 December 1961, sent to the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, encloses a verbatim translation of a Soviet article from the top secret 1960 first issue of the special collection of Military Thought. In the article, Colonel-General A. Gastilovich argues that nuclear missiles call for revising Soviet military doctrine. He favors short blitz operations, smaller ground forces and new rescue troops. It mentions "flying saucers" only as ground effect machines for army aviation.
1.3(a (4) occupational functions in the occupied territory will be required. . A oignificant number of forces will also be needed in the zone of interior chiefly for various formations such as local antiaircraft defense (.VO). Therefore, for the conduct of the war a sufficiently large nur~her of ground troops is needed, but their. over-all size, desigr.ation and -nature of use ill of course be different than in past wars. - The number of ground troops engaged directly in combat operations ay be, as it appears to us, many times smaller than it was in previous wars. . We have outlined a concept for initial operations under European Theater conditions which is convenient for the activities - of all arma of troops. To tag same degree, with certain corrections for geographical conditions, it can also be applied in other theaters. In this concept, the pr ncipal leading role belongs to the operations of the VGim missile formations, but not with the aims which we new - have under general review. This is not combat against enemy nuclear weapons, not the weakening of his economic potential, not combat against his reserves, etc., but the full annihilation of the enemy. with nuclear warheads of megaton yield over a vast territory with - the aim of knocking entire countries out of the war. Briefly, if there is a possibility for holding out, then there is also a possibility of victory in a short period of time. Moreorer, for direct combat operations at the front such numerous ground. armed forces as in previous wars will be needed neither in the beginning - of the war nor during its course. - - - 'Certain Queations of Operational Art - It is necessary to examine the current operations of ground troops in close connection with the operations of VGK missile formations. It appears to us that among the ranks of the latter, in addition to tornations carrying out the missions of knocking entire countries out of the war, there must be formations designated for activities in the interest of several fronts conducting operations on one stra- tegic axis. Such formations, remaining under the jurisdiction and coand of General- Headquarters (Stavkna), could establish favorable '- conditions for the development of ground troop operations by-means of annihilation of enemy nuclear weapons, his reserves, airfields, transportation teuters, depots, and other installations located beyond the range of action of front missile weapons; by their strikes they could also reinforce the fire capability of the fronts in those ". .."fl4 -9.."
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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 23 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.