BAY OF PIGS: THE SECOND DAY
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On April 18, 1961, Premier Nikita Khrushchev of the Soviet Union sent a message to President John F. Kennedy of the United States stating that his "little war" against Cuba might result in an "incomparable conflagration*" between the superpowers.
The President responded by stating that the U.S. was not "directly" involved in the invasion of Cuba and added...
"I trust...this does not mean (your) government, using the situation in Cuba as a pretext, is planning to inflame other areas of the world."
Despite JFK's denial of direct U.S. involvement, he stressed...
"The people of the United States do not conceal their admiration for Cuban patriots. (We) can take no action to stifle the spirit of liberty."
*conflagration: an extensive fire which destroys a great deal of land or property
