Aug. 22, 1962 - Premier Khrushchev asserted today that the U.S. was “in a state of lethargic sleep.” The Russian leader made this remark while complaining to a group of visiting Japanese businessmen that the U.S. refused to trade with the Soviet Union. “But even though America does not trade with us, our rockets fly better than theirs,” the Premier declared. “This shows we can live without trade with the United States.” “America produces good electronic machines,” he went on, “but our rockets hit the target more accurately than the American ones, and it is Soviet electronic equipment that was used in our missiles.” Mr. Khrushchev told the Japanese delegation that the U.S. eventually would be compelled to trade with the Soviet Union. He said Japan should start doing business with his country before the U.S. became “a dangerous competitor.”
