His comments came in a Story magazine article dated November 1961, following the Berlin Crisis over the occupational statusof the German capital.The incident started when the USSR launchedanultimatumdemanding the withdrawal of all armed forces from Berlin, including the Western armed forces inWest Berlin. The crisis culminated in the city'sde factopartitionwith theEast Germanerection of theBerlin Wall, but JFK was worried the Soviets would not stop there.

Assuming forces may try to push further into Europe, he wrote in a magazine article following the events: "Berlin developments may confront us with a situation where we may desire to take the initiative in the escalation of conflict from the local to the general war level.

His commentsreferred toArticle 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which states: The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all.

Consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised byArticle 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

However, they sparked fear worldwide after they were interpreted as plans to launch a nuclear attack on the USSR.

Documents seen byExpress.co.ukreveal a worrying exchange between the UK Ambassador, David Ormsby-Gore, and the President in March 1962.

Mr Ormsby-Gore asked via telegram:Mr President, could you elaborate on the idea attributed to you in a magazine article that there may be circumstances under which we would have to take the initiative in a nuclear war?

To which Kennedy responded: Yes, I think Mr (Jerome David)Salingers statement made it very clear that this was intended to be merely a restatement of a traditional position where if a vital area like Western Europe, was being overrun by conventional forces, that theUS wouldtake means available to defend it.

"It was notintended to suggest, as Mr Salinger said, that this meant the United States would take aggressive action on its own part, or would launch an attack, a so-called preventive attack on its part.

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WW3: President's claim US will take initiative in nuclear war escalation revealed - Express.co.uk