I'll buy that. In defense of the Soviet navy and the Whiskey, it did serve the purpose, at least the short-term purpose, of the time. The USSR had to prepare itself for a global conflict with the US, and had practically no navy at the time. The Whiskey, although little more than a glorified Type XXI and outdated even as the first unit was commissioned, gave the Soviets large numbers, and did so cheaply, enabling them to focus on development for future generations. It was painful and frequently deadly, but they (now Russia) did eventually catch up to the west.
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