Q&A · 1:54:38-1:56:08

Where would the Soviet Union put an inherited German fleet?

Four separated maritime areas compete for a fleet that remains too small to cover all of them.

Question

Where would the Soviet Union base the German navy received in the hypothetical fleet swap?

Short answer

No single allocation solves the problem: the Baltic, Arctic, Pacific, and Black Sea all require forces, and maintenance support must accompany the ships.

Notes

Receiving Germany's fleet would leave the Soviet Union deciding how to divide it among the Baltic, Arctic, Pacific, and Black Sea. A larger and more advanced force would still not be enough to cover all four areas adequately. The separated coastlines impose a demand that possession of additional hulls alone does not solve. The scenario also needs enough transferred equipment and knowledge for Soviet crews and yards to maintain the ships. Without that assumption, the swap becomes still less useful.