" We can't expect the American people to jump from capitalism to communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of socialism until on day they awaken to find they have communism." Nikita Khrushchev. 1957 Khrushchev announced to the people of the United States by television that the USSR would never fire one shot at the United States. It would fall from the inside. we discussed this with our Civics teacher in class. He believed China was more of a threat to the United States at the time.