 The August 1938 shipbuilding plan envisioned a total of 15 Project 23 @-@ class battleships , and this grandiose scheme was only slightly revised downward to 14 ships in the August 1939 plan . Eight of these were to be laid down before 1942 and the remaining six before 1947 . However , only four were actually laid down before the outbreak of World War II forced the Soviets to reassess their ambitious plans . On 19 October 1940 an order was issued , signed by Stalin and Molotov , that no new battleships would be laid down in order to concentrate on smaller ships ' building ( and also , probably , because more resources were required for the Army ) , one ship is to be scrapped , and priority should be given to only one of the three remaining battleships . 
 The August 1938 shipbuilding plan envisioned a total of 15 Project 23 @-@ class battleships , and this grandiose scheme was only slightly revised downward to 14 ships in the August 1939 plan . Eight of these <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> to be laid down before 1942 and the remaining six before 1947 . However , only four <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> actually laid down before the outbreak of World War II forced the Soviets to reassess their ambitious plans . On 19 October 1940 an order was issued , signed by Stalin and Molotov , that no new battleships would be laid down in order to concentrate on smaller ships <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'</mark></a>building ( and also , probably , because more resources <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> required for the Army ) , one ship is to be scrapped , and priority should be given to only one of the three remaining battleships . 
The August 1938 shipbuilding plan envisioned a total of 15 Project 23 @-@ class battleships , and dis grandiose scheme was only slightly revised downward to 14 ships in the August 1939 plan . Eight of these was to be laid down b4 1942 and da remaining six before 1947 . However , only 4 was actually laid dwn before the outbreak of World War II forced the Soviets to reassess their ambitious plans . On 19 October 1940 an order was issued , signed by Stalin and Molotov , that no new battleships would be laid down in order to concentrate on smaller ships  building ( and also , probably , becuz more resources was required for the Army ) , one ship is to b scrapped , and priority should be given to only one of tdathree remaining battleships .