Soviet Report on the Atmosphere in the US following Kennedy's Announcement

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(when filled)

REPORT #5426/273 from 24.X.62

from incoming (outgoing) ciphered telegram # 254791780

from 23 October 1962 from Washington

Telegram sent to comrs. Khrushchev, Kozlov, Suslov, Ponomarev,

Malinovskii, Kuznetsov.

Following KENNEDY's announcement, the situation has become extremely tense at the State Department and in diplomatic and journalistic circles in Washington. On 22 October M. KILDUFF, assistant to SALINGER, said: "We are very nervous in anticipation of the response from the Soviet government." Following today's reply from the USSR, there was a noticeable change of sentiments among circles in the USA government.

According to the reporters' statements in the Swiss newspaper "Neue Zurichen Zeitung" and the English paper "Daily Express," the announcement of the Soviet government was judged by the White House and the Pentagon as "general and weak," since it does not contain a specific reference to measures for defending the Soviet state from American actions, which is read as a sign that the USSR "is not prepared to make decisive steps."

The correspondent for the English paper "Daily Express" also reported that the USA, in the form of a second series of actions against Cuba, has prepared air raids against the locations of Soviet missile launchers and bombers in Cuba, with the aim of destroying them. He also reported that the Pentagon is taking steps to organize an "air bridge" to West Berlin.

Copies made (typed): 1, accounted in register

[from dictation]

as # _____ and stowed in file # ____

[Redacted text] Executed by [signature][redacted]

26 October 1962

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