Berlin: One for the Mets

When the Russians first began using armored cars instead of buses for the daily changing of the guard at the Soviet war memorial, Western officials accepted the switch as a practical measure to protect Russian troops from stones hurled by West Berliners. But the Russian convoy grew and grew and grew. At first there were only three small four-wheeled armored personnel carriers. Then the small APCs were replaced by three larger six-wheeled armored cars. Then the Russians suggested that they might want to add a fourth. "What next?" groaned U.S. offi cials in Washington and Berlin. "Tanks?" The U.S....