Lloyd DeMause on Kennedy assassination, 2002 When Khrushchev then backed down (thankfully, otherwise you might not be alive and reading this book) and removed the missiles and the crisis suddenly ended without any war, Americans felt an enormous letdown. 17 The media reported on "The Strange Mood of America Today Baffled and uncertain of what to believe..." 18 It began to ask what were seen as frightening questions: "Will It Now Be A World Without Real War? Suddenly the world seems quiet...Why the quiet? What does it mean?" 19 The prospect of peaceful quiet felt terribly frightening. Americans from all parties were furious with Kennedy for various pretexts. Many began calling for a new Cuban invasion, agreeing with Barry Goldwater's demand that Kennedy "do anything that needs to be done to get rid of that cancer. If it means war, let it mean war." 20 Kennedy was accused of being soft on Communism for living up to his no-invasion pledge to...