Between 1921 and August 1937, the Soviet Navy had only four commanders-in-chief, giving the service far more continuity than it would retain during the Great Purge. Long tenure allowed strategic habits and institutional knowledge to accumulate. Naval leadership also carried a built-in political danger because admirals had to travel abroad and deal with foreign counterparts. The state could monitor those contacts but could not eliminate them without obstructing the work of the service. The same exposure that naval command required could therefore make senior officers suspect under an increasingly paranoid regime.
Notable Point · 1:10:20-1:13:15
Interwar command continuity carried political risk
Four commanders-in-chief served across most of 1921 to 1937, building continuity while the foreign contact required of admirals exposed them to political suspicion.