Office of the Historian

59. Evening Report Prepared for President Carter1

Washington, undated

EVENING REPORT ITEMS

[Omitted here is discussion of intelligence collection.]

August 20—Intelligence community has developed new communication and photographic information on what appears to be a recent exercise of a Soviet tank battalion in Cuba, which suggests that the Soviets have the equivalent of a full brigade of 2,300 personnel on the island. (TS)

August 21—Three Soviet battalions were identified as taking part in exercises August 17, 18, 19 and 20. Photos reveal more than 30 tanks and enough tents to accommodate 1,850 men. It thus seems clear that we are dealing with at least one full-sized Soviet combat brigade. (TS)

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 16, Cuba-Soviet Relations (miscellaneous), 9–10/79. Top Secret.↩