Stalin might open by demanding parity with Britain and the United States, but neither government would accept that claim. Soviet construction also could not be inserted into the old totals without changing what the existing leaders needed. British planners would have to consider threats to India, blockades of Soviet trade, and diversionary operations in other theaters. American planners would face another uncertain naval power in the Pacific. Because the Soviet Union had little record of sustained global action and no predictable future alignment, its mere entry raises the security requirement that the treaty totals must cover.
Notable Point · 38:46-41:36
A Soviet fleet changes British and American requirements
Neither leading navy would simply grant Moscow a Japanese-sized fleet and leave its own strength unchanged, because Soviet ships create new risks around India, trade routes, and the Pacific.