Comments by "Sar Jim" (@sarjim4381) on "Soviet "Tourists" in Cuba. Photo album from 1962 #cuba, #ussr, #soviet" video.

As has been pointed out, Khrushchev not only thought Kennedy was weak, he believed that, as a child of the bourgeoisie, he wouldn't risk the destruction of the industrial might of the US over a few missiles in Cuba. Khrushchev had several run ins with Nixon during his time as vice-president, and he thought Nixon actually was a war monger, looking for an excuse to go to war with the USSR. It's doubtful if Khrushchev would have risked taking on Nixon so far from home, when the only answer would have been an all out nuclear strike. Khrushchev was actually quite surprised that Kennedy not only didn't back down, he was making credible threats to destroy the missiles anmd Soviet shipping in the area.
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