III-018 “The Theory of Military Art Needs Review,” by Col. Gen. A.I. Gastilovich and Lt. Gen. I.A. Tolkonyuk, special collection of Military Thought, top secret issue No. 1, 1960, CIA/DP Clandestine Report Special Collection, 18 December 1961,

1.3(a (4)
actions, but is yielding to meeting engagements and envelopment.
The taking of radioactively contaminated zones created by the
enemy acquires great importance. It must be carried out by large
units, depending upon the tasks they are fulfilling, the meteorological
situation, and the degree of permissible dosage of radiation received
during the period of action. Depending upon these conditions, the
contaminated zones are taken either by a rapid forward push or by
bypassing, or in the final analysis, the troops continue to carry
out their mission in the contaminated zone without regard to possible '
losses. All discussions regarding the creation of passages into
contaminated zones, the surmounting of them in helicopters andothers
are utopian at the present time.
In planning contemporary offensive operations on the scale of
. a front and armies, it is impossible to proceed from an single "D" -
(day). In terms of time, operations will flow in different directions,
at different tempos and it is more advisable to plan them by calendar
days (except, of coursej the initial retaliatory missile strike).
Moreover, 'concrete army and large unit tasks can be established for
only 1-2 days and for a longer period it is sufficient to indicate
the general direction, the nature of the activities and final goal
of the operation. More detailed planning is highly problematical,
since sharp changes in the situation are unavoidable as a result of
enemy nuclear strikes.
The tempos of contemporary operations may be planned, as already
mentioned, up to 80 to 100 and more kilometers during a 24-hr. period.
but it must be kept in mind that, as a result of enemy nuclear -
strikes on our deep rear, the front will not be.able to rely on
systematic delivery from the rear of the .country. Everything which
is essential must already be stored in the theaters in peacetime and
such supplies as POL must, to a significant degree, be sought out
from var trophies in the course of the advance.
* It is also essential to take into account the cumulative physical
tension on tank and truck di'ivers (it will be necessary to have two
reliefs for interchange of crew members) and the large number of
vehicles which will go out of commission.
Vigorous maneuver and nuclear strikes must become"the basis of
contemporary defense. He who sits in place, even in prepared positiais,
will be knocked out by nuclear weapons or bypassed. Only a relatively
small part of the forces can hold separate areas or positions with
the aim of slowing the tempo of the enemy advance along axes which
~ 1,3(a)(
- - -13 --
1