Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:03:03-1:03:50

Could the Soviet economy build twelve battleships?

Treaty authorization permits a long building program even though Soviet yards cannot construct all twelve ships at once.

BattleshipsShipbuildingSoviet IndustrialisationSoviet Navy
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Question

Could the Soviet economy realistically support twelve new battleships?

Short answer

Not all at once or by 1936, but Stalin could force a slower multi-yard program whose treaty authorization would still shape every rival navy's planning.

Notes

Twelve Soviet battleships by 1936 are implausible. Treaty authorization would instead create a long-term program spread across the yards capable of handling the hulls. Engineering capacity and construction time would limit simultaneous work. Stalin's willingness to impose enormous human and economic costs could still drive the program faster than a democratic cost model would suggest.