19 MAY 1961, Page 13

SIR,—What is interesting about Philip Toynbee's letter in last week's

issue is the way he maintains that Hungary and Cuba were only different in degree.

There arc, of course, two basic distinctions be- tween them of the utmost importance.

(a) In Cuba the invasion was composed of Cuban refugees equipped with American arms. In Hungary the assault was made by Soviet troops—many of them from Mongolia, it is said, and therefore less likely to be perturbed.

(b) The Russians succeeded in Hungary because they were prepared to use the necessary force and methods. The Americans failed in Cuba because they were not.

The Russians were utterly ruthless and disregarded world opinron totally. To put the Americans and Russians even roughly on the same level over this shows that tiresome wish to get at the Americans and certainly not an unbiased approval.—Yours faithfully,