DECLASSIFIED: E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402; State Dept. guidelines, 6/2/79 By Milt O. Gustfson NARS, Date 1-28-80
Enclosure No. 1 to Despatch
No. 1341 dated June 6, 1938, from
the American Embassy, Moscow, U.S.S.R
April 20, 1938.
Memorandum for the Ambassador. Subject: Military Strength of the Soviet Union, April, 1938
Standing Army
1. The first line of defense of the Soviet Union is its standing army, a force consisting of all land arms and services administered by the Peoples Commissariat for Defense. This force, known as the RKKA (Workers and Peasants Red Army), consists of officers about ninety per cent. of whom expect to make the army their career, junior commanders or non-commissioned officers about half of whom have had extended military service, and conscripts who are enrolled yearly for periods of two, three, or four years with the colors.
2. The total strength of the RKKA is approximately 1,300,000. During the weeks when conscripts are being received into units and men finishing their enlistments have not yet been furloughed to the reserve, the total figure probably is twenty per cent. greater than that stated. During the winter season, the average strength is probably twenty per cent. below the figure stated.
3. Naval units, now forming part of a separate Peoples Commissariat of the Navy, amount to approximately 50,000 officers and men.
