ABSTRACT
On 14 january 1960, Nikita Khrushchev had spoken in generalities during his address to the Supreme Soviet. Marshal R. Ya. Malinovskiy, his minister of defense, who followed him, was more specific. During World War II he commanded various Soviet forces and later served in the Far East, supporting the Korean conflict of the early 1950s. The ouster of Khrushchev in 1964 did not affect Marshal Malinovskiy's position. Malinovskiy used expressions that are standard in Soviet writing and speeches. The primary danger to the peace-loving Soviet Union is a surprise nuclear strike by the "imperialists." Should this occur, the Soviet Union is prepared to deliver a "retaliatory crushing strike." In modern war, provided it is unleashed by the imperialists, paramount significance will belong to massive nuclear strikes both on objectives in the deep interior and on groupings of armed forces in theaters of military actions.
