"A National Strategy for the Soviet Union," Address by Rear Admiral L. C. Stevens to the National War College

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SCORE 38 COPY NO. TOPSECRET A NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE SOVIET UNION Address by Rear Admiral L. C. Stevens, U. S. Navy to the National War College on 25 January 1951 You would much prefer that I talk to you directly and not from a prepared paper. So would I, if I had not been beguiled into accepting an assignment as broad and controversial as that of a national strategy for the Soviet Union. But I am sure that I would not be half through at the end of my time and that we would end up in a state of confusion. Perhaps we will anyhow. Only the future can prove whose ideas are right and whose are wrong. I am well aware that history can prove mine wrong tomorrow, but if I did not believe they had at least as high a degree of probability as conflicting views, I would not advance them today. To my mind they have an overall consistency and give adequate weight to elements that seem highly important to me. At least we are all agreed that any counsel which would keep the United States from being prepared is false. Doubtless everyone who talks to you on the Soviet Union starts off by saying that in actual fact we know very little about it. There are good reasons for this. Russia has always been a secret country, DECLASSIFIED is TRUMAN ARCHIVES "NATIONAL RECORDS AND LIGHT E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 U.S. State Dest 9.0.00 Guideline 64899 NC 10-12-79 TOP SEORET SECRE