COMPARISON OF US AND SOVIET MILITARY EXPENDITURES

Created: 2/6/1967

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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1

LBJ LIBRARY Mandatory Review

LJ

S7*i

67

UEUOrUNDUM

SUBJECT: Comparison of US and Soviet Military Expenditures

1. Tho table below compares US and Soviet military and space sponding 1/

Million Dc.lars

Offenso

Defense

Purpose

and Space

and General Support

As this table indicates, the Soviets are spending somewhat more than the US for strategic offense, very much more for strategic defense, but only aboutercent as much in total.

EOIKSI

IK Mill (Ul

This table includos civilian space (NASA) and nuclear weapons programs (AEC) for both countries. Soviet spending is in terms of US costs. The Soviotdiffers from tha one presented in tho CIA Special

page 4.

on nuclear weapons (except RDT&E) aro placed under command and genoral support, for comparability with US data.

2. The following table shows tho percentages of total US and Soviet military and space spendingy mission

Percent (Dollar Bas:s)6

USSR Percent (Ruble Basis)6 2/

Strategic Offense

Defense

Purpose

and Space

and General Support

3. Following are comments on thiu comparison:

US percentages are strikinglythose which prevailed before the USinvolved in Vietnam.

US share spent on strategic offenseintercontinental; in recent years aboutof tho Soviet sharo has been foragainst Europo and other peripheral aroas.

c* Tho Soviet percentage for strategic dofense consistently has been much larger than that of tbo DB.

d. The large US percentage for general purpose forces is unusual. Before Vietnan it was about one-third of tho total.

2/ These percentages are based on the ruble costs of

Soviet military and space expenditures and not on the dollar costs presented on tho first page of this memorandum.

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Original document.

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