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The beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis
President Kennedy is informed about the missile build-up in Cuba. Ex Comm is then formed. -
Period: to
Cuban Missile Crisis
The outline of events during the Cuban Missile Crisis -
Whta decision to make? part 1
President Kennedy needed to decide on one of five options:
1) Do Nothing-
Kennedy did not choose this option because the USA would be seen as weak
2) Surgical Air Attack-
Kennedy did not choose this option because destruction of all sites could not be guaranteed, the attack would inevitably kill Soviets, any attack without an advanced warning was seen as immoral and all of this could trigger a nuclear war (or WWIII) -
What decision to make? part 2
3) Diplomatic Pressures (appeal to UN)-
Kennedy did not choose this option because if the USA was forced to back down it would be seen as a great sign of weakness.
4) Invasion-
Kennedy did not choose this option because it would guarantee an equivalent Soviet response and it might have triggered a nuclear war/WWIII. If the invasion did not work out again (like the bay of Pigs) the USA would be seen as very weak. -
What decision to make? part 3
President Kennedy had a 5th option: blockade Cuba. Like the other options, this could cause problems, like causing the USSR to retaliate by blockading Berlin (like in 1948). This would also not get rid of USA's main problem, as the missiles that were already in Cuba would not leave. -
The decision
With the help of his advisors, President Kennedy decides to blockade Cuba. This would show that the USA was serious but it would not be a direct act of war. The blockade would be done with the help of the US navy, as they would stop and search Soviet ships. They would also call for the USSR to withdraw the missiles that were already in Cuba. -
Annoucement of Blockade
President Kennedy announces the Blockade and calls on the USSR to withdraw the missiles in Cuba. He refers to the USSR's act as a "reckeless and provocative threat to world peace", which made people aware of the fact that the world could be destroyed if a nuclear war was triggered. -
Khrushchev's first response
After President Kennedy's announcement, Khrushchev wrote a letter in response, warning JFK that Soviet ships would simply ignore the blockade. Khrushchev did not admit the presence of nuclear missiles in Cuba yet. -
The Blockade begins
The first missile-carrying ships, which were "escorted" by a Soviet submarine, approached the 800km blockaded zone. Suddenly, the 20 Soviet ships that were closest to the zone stopped or turned around. This suggested that the blockade was resulting well for the USA. -
Progress in Cuba
Despite the possible result of the blockade, intensive aerial photography revealed that there was rapid progress being attained concerning the work on the missile bases in Cuba. -
Khrushchev's second response
Kennedy then received a second letter from Khrushchev that claimed that the missiles in Cuba had a defensive purpose. Khrushchev then went on by saying that if the USA guaranteed the USSR that there would be no attacks on Cuba and that the blockade would be lifted, he would consider the possibility of destructing the missile sites in Cuba. This was also the first time that Khrushchev admited the presence of the nuclear missiles. -
Khrushchev's third response
Khrushchev then sent a second letter that revised his proposals and afirmed that the condition for the removal of the missiles was that the USA withdrew its missiles from Turkey. The problem was that Kennedy could not accept this condition. -
American U-2 palne shot in Cuba
After the plane was shot, an American pilot was killed. Kennedy's advisors told him to respond immediately by launching an attack on Cuba, but Kennedy decided to delay this attack. He also decided to ignore Khrushchev's second letter (October 27th) but accept the terms of his first letter (October 26th). Finally, he warned the USSR that if they did not withdraw the missiles, an attack would follow. -
The Final Decision
In order to avoid world destruction (due to MAD- Mutual Assured Destruction- which could cause a nuclear war) Khrushchev decided to dismantle the missiles and return them to the USSR. Never has the world been so close to complete destruction as during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
