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October 27, 1962

Telegram from Soviet Ambassador to the USA Dobrynin to the USSR MFA

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CIPHERED TELEGRAM
During the entire day of 26 October in broadcasts of American radio, television, and in press reports, in accord with instructions from above, it is being ever more firmly asserted that in Cuba the construction of missile bases is being continued under a forced tempo, and that the missiles themselves are being brought to operational readiness.
Toward the end of the day, the State Department representative White and the Secretary to the President for questions of the press, [Pierre] Salinger, made official declarations about that. /An analogous declaration was made in the name of the Organization of American States, which, evidently, is aimed at giving that fact extra "legal force"/. In their declarations there is made a pretty clear hint to the effect that the mentioned "fact" gives the USA government "a foundation" to take further, more serious measures against Cuba.
At the same time, among journalists who are close to the White House, State Department and Pentagon conversations about the possibility of implementing at the earliest possible time a mass overflight of American aviation in the area where the missile platforms are deployed, with a possible commando raid, have received wide circulation. Several of them in this regard express the opinion that an ultimatum to the Cuban government itself to disassemble the missile platforms in a very short time might precede such an overflight. As before, the real possibility of an imminent incursion in Cuba is being asserted, but the theme of a bombardment of the missile bases has now moved to the fore.
The wide circulation and the certain orientation of similar conversations under conditions when, practically speaking, censorship has been introduced on reports concerning Cuba, and when constant instruction of journalists is going on, leads to the thought that these conversations are inspired by the government itself.
Facilitating the circulation of these types of moods and rumors, the USA government, evidently, is trying to show its determination to achieve at any price the liquidation of the missile emplacements in Cuba with the aim of putting on that issue the maximum pressure on us and on Cuba.
At the same time it is not possible to exclude that the general American plan of actions really may include the implementation of such an overflight, especially if the adventurist moods of certain members of the circle which is close to the President are taken into account. In this regard we should note that judging by certain information, disagreements about participation in the negotiations in the UN are now growing in the USA government, since this is connected with dragging out the time and a weakening of the acuteness of the moment, and means that the difficulty of taking "decisive measures" against Cuba unavoidably would grow.

27.X.62 A. DOBRYNIN

[Source: AVP RF, copy courtesy of NSA; translation by Mark H. Doctoroff]

Dobrynin relays the mood of the American capital and the presence of a real possibility of US incursion in Cuba.


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AVP RF, copy courtesy of NSA; translation by Mark H. Doctoroff

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Original Uploaded Date

2011-11-20

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Cable

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111835