Power in the Kremlin: Politics and the Military

Abstract

The aim of this discussion on the relationship between the Communist Party in the Soviet Union and the Soviet Armed Forces is first to try to describe the machinery through which these two organisations operate together in the Soviet system, and then to see how the relationship is working together at the present time. We have to recognise that any judgement of the power and influence of the Armed Forces over Party decision-making in military affairs or domestic and foreign policy is bound to be speculative since Army—Party relations have always been a particularly secretive matter in the Soviet Union. In this situation it may be helpful, therefore, to say a little about the historical background of the relationship so that we have some indication of the Russian as well as Soviet traditions in this field on which to base our discussion and possibly our conclusions.