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A Proposal and a Succession Plan


Pictured: a plaque commemorating Marshal Chuikov, General Altunin, and General Govorov as leaders of the Civil Defense of the Soviet Union.


Previous blog entries explore Marshal Chuikov’s role as the Chief of the Civil Defense of the USSR. Beginning in 1961, Vasily Ivanovich devoted himself to the protection of his homeland by developing a comprehensive plan for millions of citizens during the Cold War. He wrote at least two training manuals on the subject—Civil Defense in Nuclear Missile War and Improving and Strengthening Civil Defense—in the 1960s. However, Marshal Chuikov realized his time in the role of Chief would come to an end, and he would transition into retirement. He actively served his beloved country until his final days, however, as a Deputy of the Supreme Soviet, a Delegate to the Congress of the Communist Party, a member of the Central Committee, and as an author, speaker, Chairman of the 62nd-8th Guards Army veterans organization, and as an Inspector General of the Group of General Inspectors of the Soviet Ministry of Defense.


A succession plan ensures critical roles are carried out in a consistent manner by selecting and developing key talent, which are integral parts of the process. Planning one’s retirement and considering the next leader is a phenomenon recognized around the world, and for good reason. When leaders in executive positions plan their transition, they must consider preservation of organizational knowledge and continuity of culture. The new leader must possess the requisite skills, knowledge, experience, and competencies necessary to “take over the reigns” in the organization. Succession planning requires careful consideration, transparency, communication, and coordination.


To that end, Marshal Chuikov set about the task of determining who his successor should be:


“Colonel-General Alexander Terentyevich Altunin took over as head of the USSR Civil Defense after a personal proposal from Marshal Chuikov, the previous head of the USSR Civil Defense. Vasily Ivanovich personally proposed to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR Kosygin and the Minister of Defense of the USSR Grechko the candidacy of a combat officer with management experience.


In his new post, Alexander Terentyevich Altunin actively continued the development of the country's civil defense system, both at the organizational and technical levels. It was under him that the reorientation of the USSR Civil Defense and the solution of peacetime problems began.


Under General Altunin, the “Regulation on Civil Defense” of 1961, which was then in force, was also changed, which no longer corresponded to the realities of the new time. The document developed by the Headquarters of the USSR Civil Defense was approved by the Central Committee of the CPPS and the Council of Ministers of the USSR on March 18, 1976, being until the collapse of the USSR in 1991 the main law on the civil defense of the country.

The new regulation resolved the legal issues of interaction between territorial, sectoral and military bodies in planning and solving civil defense tasks in peacetime and wartime.


Almost all organizational work of A.T. Altunin was aimed at improving the principles, means and methods of protecting the population, economy and territories from possible armed conflicts with the use of weapons of mass destruction. The number of protective structures increased significantly, formations and warehouses of civil defense were equipped in abundance with personal protective equipment, machinery and equipment. The training of the Civil Defense units increased every year. It became mandatory and universal to train the population in the field of civil defense - every citizen was trained in it, starting from the age of eight.”

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