Q&A ยท 4:28:22-4:29:13

Did fear of another Barbarossa justify launching from port?

Kuznetsov's wartime alert is used to challenge a surprise-attack argument for keeping a retaliatory launch option alongside.

Question

Did Soviet fear of a surprise attack like Barbarossa make pier-side launch capability useful?

Short answer

The response argues that Kuznetsov had anticipated Barbarossa and deployed available ships, so the navy's own precedent favored acting on warning.

Notes

A viewer suggests that fear of a surprise attack explains the value of launching missiles from alongside. The response distinguishes the Soviet Navy's memory of Barbarossa from Stalin's surprise. Kuznetsov had recognized the danger, placed the fleet on alert, and sent deployable ships to sea. In this argument, that precedent supports timely deployment rather than dependence on a launch from port.