it's own population, which was very different than that during Stalin's rule. It reduced the powers.
of the secret police, and allowed for more agricultural productivity. Which in turn "allowed the.
Soviet population at large to enjoy many of the material benefits of industrial development.
(because) the post-Stalin leadership had begun to unravel a highly autocratic system" (Christian,.
373). However, the Cuban Missile Crisis tarnished all hopes of cutting back the defense budget,.
(an idea the Soviet government had about ten years ago when they were trying to find a cheap.
way of developing a nuclear defense strategy, however, much of this idea was dependent upon a.
bluff that the soviets had intermittent-nuclear-range missiles). The cutting of the defense budget.
would have insured to a degree the continuation of these positive results on the economy. When.
observed from today's standpoint, the Cuban Missile Crisis was, besides being a test of egos,.
simply a technology-based conflict. Similar to that of the Russian/American "Space Race," the.
Crisis can be broken down and scene as a matter of technological competition. In 1962, not only.
did the United States have first strike missiles pointed at the Soviet Union from neighboring.
Turkey, but they also had intermittent-range missiles that could be launched from the mainland.
United States and strike the U.S.S.R. At this point in time of Russia's development, the Soviets.
had no weaponry technology capable of covering this type of distance. However, it was only a.
matter of a few years, maybe months, before Soviet technology would make this possible. Most of.
all, however, Khrushchev feared a first-strike by the U.S. If the Soviet Union lost the arms race so.
badly, he worried, it would invite a first-strike nuclear attack from the U.S. Consequently,.
Khrushchev began looking for a way to counter the United State's lead; and it wasn't long until.
he found his answer. Meanwhile, adding to the complications of the Crisis, Fidel Castro was.