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Cuban missile crisis
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US U2 spyplane discovers missiles in Cuba
Pilot Richard Heyser discovers soviet missiles that are being constructed in Cuba. These missiles are being funded by the soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev who had earlier convince Castro to addopt communist ideals.
The impact of America from loosing Cuba wouid have been huge as they were relying on them for imporation of goods and due to the location being so colse to America it made them a easy target for close range missiles like these. -
EX-Comm meeting
The first of several meetings are held in which government leaders such as John F. Kennedy would be briefed and discuss possible measures to deal with the threat. In order to avoid public up rise and disturbance two possible plans are formed: an airstrike and invasion or navel quarantine.
This was the first of multiple meetings ex-comm commity, this commity was tasked with dealing with situations that posed a threat to the nation. -
More photos contaning evidence of missiles are found
More photos are discovered after another U2 spy plane is sent into Cuba this time detailing new sites and up to 32 missiles, in response to this American troops being to southern US in preparation for possible war outbrek.
32 nuclear missiles had enough power to blow up most major states in America and due to the location being so close it posed a immidiate threat. -
Robert Kennedy continues with plans to have a meeting with soviet foreign minister Andrei Gromyko
Despite the new discoveries Kennedy continues with plans to have meetings with the foreign minister Andrei Gromyko (USSR) while not mentioning the new discoveries that minister says that the soviet union is only assisting Cuba in agricultural needs.
Had Robert Kennedy confronted Andrei Gromyko about the nuclear missiles it could have caused the communists to take action putting America and the rest of the world at risk of nuclear war. -
Ex-comm meetings continue
Kennedy leaves for planned trip Ohio and Illinois meanwhile Ex-comm meetings continue discussing sending US ships to Cuba in order to prevent the Soviet Union reaching the island however they are cautious of this as it could be considered an act of war -
Air strike plans canceled
Kennedy meets with General Walter Sweeny of the tactical air command who informs him that no airstrike could guarantee destruction of the missiles. -
Cuba plans speech created
Ted Sorenson and creates Kennedys historic speech informing the nation of what Cuba and the Soviet nation are doing
One of Kennedy's most historic moments while president, the 20 minute speech informed the nation of what was happening in Cuba and what the American amry was doing to prevent any advancements from the communists -
Breifings continue
President Kennedy phones former Presidents Hoover, Truman and Eisenhower to brief them on the situation and the british prime minister Harold Macmillan. Meetings to coordinate all actions continue. Kennedy formally establishes the Executive Committee of the National Security Council and instructs it to meet daily during the crisis. Kennedy briefs the cabinet and congressional leaders on the situation. -
Quarantine plan takes place
After lying about having a cold in Chicago so he could return to Washington Kenndey along with the other members of the EX-comm enact the quarantine plan -
Kennedy contacts the Soviet miniseter
Prior to addressing the nation Kennedy writes to Nikita Khrushchev urging him to rethink his actions, " I have not assumed that you or any other sane man would In this nuclear age, deliberately plunge the world into war which it is crystal clear no country could win and which could only result in catastrophic consequences to the whole world, including the aggressor" – JFK
Kennedy was aware that the soviets could destroy them creating this idea that they could both destroy each other -
Kennedy adresses the nation
One of Kenney’s most important moments while president of America in which he talks to the nation about what the soviets have been doing in Cuba and what the members of the military and other organisations have been planning.
The speech informed America that they are aware of what was happening in Cuba and that they had plans such as the quarantine in place and that they shouldn’t be fearing the threat of nuclear war -
Soviet ships are ordered to stopped
Khrushchev orders soviet ships headed for Cuba to stop in the Atlantic, this change was intended to stop confrontation between the US navy and Soviet ships however Soviets submarines were tailing US ships as they took Cuba -
Khrushchev refuses to withdraw missiles from Cuba
In response to the Kennedys to the quarantine Khrushchev says that the US shall not intimidate the Union and will not withdraw the missiles from Cuba along with this his accuses Kennedy of putting the world at risk of nuclear war
What Khrushchev means with "putting the world at risk of nuclear war" is that both the Soviets and America had missiles within reach of eachother, eg America had missiles in counties such as Turkey -
Pressure on Cuba picks up
Kennedy attempts to reach out the Russian minister again urging them back down and in perpetration for war American pilots are orders to flights over Cuba to be increased from once a day to twice a day to pressure the communists -
Tension increases
Concerned that the soviets may not remove the missiles from Cuba the members of the EX-comm discuss invading the island. American ships intercept a Soviet vessel and search for military supplies and find nothing. -
Castro messages Khrushchev
Sruggling with the pressure from American advancments Castro messages Khrushchev urging him to launch missile(s) at America
Had any missiles been launched it wouod have been the begining of the third world war that could have ended all nations due to the use of nuclear missiles -
American U-2 plane shot down over Soviet boarders
American pilot Major Rudolph Anderson is killed accidentally flying into Soviet airspace. While attitudes towards western nations were still hostile thankfully this didn’t lead to military actions such as the missiles in Cuba being launched -
Negotiation plans start
Robert Kennedy meets secretly with Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin. They reach a basic understanding: the Soviet Union will withdraw the missiles from Cuba under United Nations supervision in exchange for an American pledge not to invade Cuba. In an additional secret understanding, the United States agrees to eventually remove the Jupiter missiles from Turkey (these missiles were the largest threat to the soviet nations due to their location being directly south across the boarder) -
Soviet Union steps down
Khrushchev gives a speech on rdio Moscow and says that he has agreed to Kennedy's arrangement. The missiles will be removed, Cuba will not be invaded, and the crisis comes to an end.
As a direct result of this relationships between the Soviet Union (until the official abolishing in 1991) were still on edge but were recovering. One method of managing communications between the nations was the “Red phone” set up a year after the crisis in 1963 acting as a direct link between the Pentagon and Kreml
