The interwar Soviet Navy's senior officers faced particular suspicion because port visits and naval diplomacy brought them into contact with foreigners. The army lost more people in absolute terms, but the navy was much smaller and lost a severe proportion of its senior leadership. These purges helped leave the navy in poor condition when World War II began. Gorshkov, Kuznetsov and their contemporaries rose rapidly partly because officers above them were being killed or otherwise removed.
Notable Point · 36:48-38:24
Foreign contact made Soviet naval officers political targets
Naval diplomacy exposed Soviet officers to suspicion of foreign influence, while purges depleted leadership and accelerated the promotion of survivors.