The Soviet Employment of Military Strength for Political Purposes

Although traditionally the Soviets have thought in terms of capitalist encirclement, increased Soviet military and political strength has now made them feel that it is they who are on the offensive and the capitalist world which is on the defensive. As a result of Soviet advances, many people who profess no faith in the Marxist god of history seem to accept the Soviet hopes and expectations for the future as, in part at least, inevitable. They feel that we can no longer delude our selves by viewing the Soviet Union as a second-rate power. Russia is strong, both politically and militarily, and since this is an accepted fact it would be "unrealistic" to oppose the Soviet Union at every point where it seeks to advance. Thus go the arguments which have resulted in mounting pressures to nego tiate with the Soviet Union. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that apprehensions and counsels of despair about present Soviet strength are without adequate foundation. It is argued here that changes in the nature of war—the potential ity for a nuclear holocaust—and in the political organization of the world—the ideological polarization of international politics —make it much more difficult for the Soviet Union to expand politically and territorially than it was for Germany and Japan. Further, the doctrainaire Marxist belief that communism must wax as capitalism wanes—for this is how they read the Book of History—reinforces the caution and conservatism dictated by military and political considerations.—Ed.