American Experience

Nikita Khrushchev's Message to John Kennedy
October 28, 1962

[Moscow domestic service in Russian at 1404 GMT on 28 October broadcasts a Khrushchev message to Kennedy. He declares:]

I received your message of 27 October and I am grateful for your appreciation of the responsibility you bear for world peace and security.

The Soviet government has ordered the dismantling of bases and the dispatch of equipment to the U.S.S.R. A few days ago, Havana was shelled, allegedly by Cuban emigres. Yet someone must have armed them for this purpose. Even a British cargo ship was shelled. Cubans want to be masters of their country. The threat of invasion has upset the Cuban people.

I wish to again state that the Soviet government has offered Cuba only defensive weapons. I appreciate your assurance that the United States will not invade Cuba. Hence, we have ordered our officers to stop building bases, dismantle the equipment, and send it back home. This can be done under U.N. supervision.

We must not allow the situation to deteriorate, (but) eliminate hotbeds of tension, and we must see to it that no other conflicts occur which might lead to a world nuclear war.

We are ready to continue to exchange views on relations between NATO and the Warsaw Bloc, disarmament, and other issues of peace and war.

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