Soviet Report on the American Preparation of War During the Cuban Missile Crisis

[On the bottom of first page, the date the document was typed is indicated as

31 October 1962]

REPORT #5622/273 from 27.X.62

from incoming (outgoing) ciphered telegram # 31010/815

from 27 October 1962

from Washington

"Telegram sent to comrs. KHRUSHCHEV, KOZLOV, SUSLOV,

PONOMAREV, GROMYKO".

Washington is engulfed in an atmosphere of war hysteria, fueled by the press, television and radio. The gist of every article, every television and radio report is the possibility of war over Cuba. The White House, the Pentagon, the State Department and the CIA are working around the clock. The Civil Defense Administration stepped up its activities.

According to press reports, plans have been worked out for carrying out and preparing an evacuation of the president, the government and major ministries to a secret location 300 miles from Washington (in case of war).

The radio and the press are continually drilling on signals of attack and giving instructions on how to behave in case of [war] alert.

An extraordinary meeting of the Committee for Civil Defense and the conference of governors was scheduled for 22 October. The meeting will be chaired by ROCKEFELLER.

On 23 October, SALINGER held a conference in the White House with representatives of the largest American telegraph services, radio, newspaper, and television companies. A decision was made to sanitize [o tsenzure] reports regarding troop movements, military plans and government measures. This decision is already being implemented. Working schedules of the President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense and other important government officials are revised, in order to cut down the time of their absence from Washington. Activities of various social organizations criticizing the government's actions are suppressed.

Many right-wing congressmen and Senators, given current circumstances, make explicitly inflammatory speeches with undisguised appeals to go to war. Among them are Republican Senators DIRKSEN, KEATING, and CAPEHARD. Even some liberal figures such as Senator HUMPHREY are leaning towards the idea that the USA must take chances.

Every means of military propaganda is being used to prepare public opinion, to create an atmosphere of military psychosis.

The intentions of the American government to carry out an attack against Cuba remain unaffected even after the Soviet Union accepted the proposal by U THANT. It is likely that the end of this week will be the most critical period in the developments against Cuba.

Executed by: [redacted], [redacted]

one copy printed from stenograph, notebk. #314

to file # _ , vol. # _ _

typ [redacted]

reg[ister] #[redacted]