Soviet Marshal Andrei Grechko, Commander of the Warsaw Pact, telegram to Hungarian Minister of Defense Lajos Czinege

Highly Confidential!

To: Comrade Lajos Czinege, Colonel General—Minister of Defense of the Hungarian People’s Republic

Considering US President D. [sic; “J.”] Kennedy’s provocative announcement on 23 October 1962 and the increased danger of the outbreak of war caused by the Western aggressors, I hereby propose:

To introduce increased combat readiness for all troops of the services of the armed forces subordinated to the Supreme Command [of the Unified Armed Forces of the Warsaw Pact].

Please, report on the arrangements made by you on 24 October.

23 October 1962

Grechko, Marshal of the Soviet Union,

Commander in chief of the Supreme Command of the Unified Armed Forces

of the Warsaw Treaty Member States

23 October 1962 10.05 am—Reported to Comrade Köteles, lieutenant- general

23 October 1962 7.15 pm—Clarified with Colonel General Dagajev^[1]—“Effective as it was stated in Comrade Grechko’s oral instruction.”

Reported to: Comrade Köteles lieutenant-general, Comrade Tóth major general, and Comrade Szűcs major general, on 23 October 1962 at 6.50 pm.

Major Golovány

40 N.P. Dagajev, Colonel General was head of the 10th group at the Soviet general staff. At the time this organ was in charge of coordination with the Warsaw Pact member states’ military leadership—CB and MK.