Re: Book review: Red Wings Over the Yalu: China, the Soviet Union and the A...

[<AMPSOne@aol.com>]

Ed/Jack.

I have had dealings with Raymond and must say he is first rate, I wish he was 
here too! 

As for some of the other comments, the Soviets had begun prepositioning a 
number of weapons systems to the Far East Military District which had attracted 
US intelligence attention. These included the then-brand new Il-28 light bomber 
and other heavy weapons such as IS-2 and IS-4 heavy tanks. All of these were 
unknowns at the time regarding their capabilities and our abilities to deal 
with them (however, we now know we would have been able to easily take them out).

The other intimation -- palpably untrue, but still in the back of the minds 
of some of the planners -- was whether the Soviets had a weaponized A-bomb that 
could be used in the said Il-28. (Not at the time, but recall our intel 
wasn't so hot inside the USSR during that time frame.) 

Put together with the fact that the Soviet Red Army was still VERY large 
(something like 3.4 million) and the possibility of inciting action in Europe 
(this is only 2-5 years after the Berlin Blockade and close to the 17 June 1953 
forced putdown of East Berlin freedom marchers) I think the idea of a second 
Inchon was a non-starter.

Cookie Sewell
AMPS