July 8, 1961 - Premier Khrushchev announced today that he is suspending reductions in the Soviet armed forces. Mr. Khrushchev said he had been "compelled" to act because of the Western military buildup resulting from the Berlin crisis. Mr. Khrushchev also gave a firm indication that he intended to keep Soviet troops in East Germany after he had signed a peace treaty with the Communist regime there. Premier Khrushchev said the Soviet armed forces would be on hand to "give a proper rebuff to any aggressor."
