Seismographs in Tokyo and Seattle shuddered from a distant explosion last week. From Peking came a boastful announcement: "China successfully exploded her first hydrogen bomb over the western region today." The Chinese left no doubt that the explosion was meant as a political blast. Calling it "a splendid achievement of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution," Peking added: "China's hydrogen-bomb test will give very great support to the people of Viet Nam, fighting against the U.S., and to the Arab people, who are resisting the Israeli aggressors."
The timing was contrived. The news flashed from Peking within an hour after the U.N....
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