The Russian physical environment is unique in space and degree. Understanding the impact of this frontier on the Russian military profession may contribute to understanding how national security has posed planning problems unique to the Soviet military profession. The essential transformation which occurred in Russian and Soviet military history was the mastery of modernization in the interest of Russian national security, a fact that is indirectly demonstrated by the essays of this book. This relationship between the military and the process of modernization is inseparable because of the multifaceted nature of modern war, which is total war in that no dimension of human experience or activity escapes it. The proper investigation and understanding of Russian and Soviet military history mat contribute to other changes, possible in the broad appreciate of Russian history and in the general field of Soviet studies.