Page 344 - Il Mediterraneo quale elemento del Potere Marittimo - Atti 16-18 settembre 1996

330 IGOR A. AMOSOV

During the Second World war though the Soviet Navy did not participate
in fighting in che Mediterranean, bue the very fact that che main efforts Germany
concentrated a t che Eastern front against che Soviec U nion influenced indirectly che
course of war operations on che Mediterranean theatre.
When che 2nd World war ended a new epoch started in the history of che
Mediterranean. This most importane strategica! region became firmly dominated
by che United States Navy. American task forces which were there in the last pe-
riod of war at the end of che 40th were organized in an operational structure -
che 6th Fleet.
For che first cime after che war ships under che Soviet naval flag passed into
che Mediterranean inJuly 1946. The author of this paper in his temporary capaci-
ty of the flag navigator of the Special Expedition - 22 participated in a transfer
of a group of former German ships destined for the Black Sea Fleet from che Baltic
ports with stops in Gibraltar and Malta. Unforgettable impressions were produced
on us by beautiful views of che Adriatic and the Aegean Sea, islands, che Straits.
In February 1949 Soviet crews recived in Italy as reparations Italian ships destined
forche Black Sea Fleet- battleship Gitdio Cesare and cwo submarines (Cruiser Duca
D 'Aosta an d five destroyers were recived by Soviet crews in Odessa).
Since the end of the 40th strategica! imporrance of the Mediterranean was
growing considerably. In 1949 NATO was formed and only after remilitarization
ofWest Germany and ics entrance in NATO in 1955 the Warsaw Treaty Organi-
sation was created. The military-political siruation were getting cense. The existen-
ce of a potential threat from che seaside not only for costai objectives bue for those
in che depth of che Soviet Union demanded to undertake countermeasures.
In 1958 che Soviet government asked Albania, a member of WTO, for a per-
mission to organize a temporary base fora group of Soviet submarines. In August
1958 four submarines (project 613 Whiskey and a submarine tender entered che
Bay ofVlora. In a year the number of submarines grew ro twelve, one more subma-
rine tender arrived and they formed che 40th submarine brigade, subordinated co
che Black Sea Fleet. The appearance of Soviet submarines in the Mediterranean
caused sharp reaction in naval forces ofNATO. So che state of military opposition
between che two blocks began in che area.
The presence of che Soviet boats was marked in one episode, when our sub-
marine S-360 surfaced for a seance of radio communication just inside the battle
order of an American task force in the vicinity of the flagship of the 6th Fleet crui-
ser Des Moines with the president of che US D. Eisenhower on board. Khrushchev,
when informed about the fact, was very pleased and instructed to commend the
submariners. Bue very soon ideological differences disrupted relations between Mo-
scow and Tirana and the brigade returned co the Baltic, leaving 4 submarines which
were transfered to Albania before. ··
Until 1964 Soviet ships, mostly submarines, were making individuai cruises
in the Mediterranean. Bue che chreat of the all-out nuclear-missile strike on che