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Article: Soviet surprise in '62: U.S. didn't know about 100 warheads in Cuba.(Originated from Knight Ridder Newspapers)
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- May 2, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Unknown to U.S. intelligence for 30 years, the Soviet Union had sneaked about 100 small nuclear weapons into Cuba at the time of the 1962 missile crisis, in addition to its more powerful strategic missiles.
Cuban President Fidel Castro wanted to keep the tactical weapons _ short-range rockets and airplane bombs _ even after the crisis, and Moscow's defense minister initially ordered his troops to train Cubans in their use.
But Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, horrified that Castro had urged him to launch strategic nuclear missiles against the United States at the height of the crisis, ordered that all the tactical weapons be swiftly removed.
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