The 13 Days

Briefing

Oct 16, 1962

President Kennedy and many other government officials are briefed on the details of the U-2 findings in Cuba. Discussions on how to react ensue immediately.

The 13 Days

Period: Oct 16, 1962 to Oct 28, 1962

The 13 days of the Cuban Missle Crisis

Preparation

Oct 17, 1962

Military units start moving to Southeastern U.S.. More U-2 intellegence shows more missile sites.

Negotiation

Oct 18, 1962

President Kennedy and Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko meet. Gromyko asserts Kennedy that all Soviet aid in Cuba is purely defensive and not a threat. Kennedy does not reveal his knowledge of the missiles and tells Gromyko that any significant weapons found in Cuba would bring the greatest consequences.

Debate

Oct 19, 1962

Kennnedy leaves for a scheduled campaign trip in Ohio and Illinois. His advisors continue to debate the best course of action.

Quarantine

Oct 20, 1962

Kennedy returns to Washington and after five hours of debate with his advisors, decides that a blockade on Cuba is the best course of action.

Air Strike

Oct 21, 1962

President Kennedy meets with General Walter Sweeny of the Tactical Air Command. General Sweeny tells Kennedy that an air strike would not guarantee the destruction of the missiles.

Formation

Oct 22, 1962

President Kennedy has a meeting with former presidents Hoover, Truman, and Eisenhower. He also forms the Executive Committee of the National Security Council which is to meet every day of the crisis. The British Prime Minister is also informed of the situation by telephone. Kennedy gives a speech on the situation to the American People on TV.

Blockade

Oct 23, 1962

President Kennedy approves the naval blockade on Cuba. Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson gives all information pertaining to the Cuban missile crisis to the United Nations Security Council. The U.S. navy ships are moved into place.

Reply

Oct 24, 1962

Chairman Khrushchev replies to Kennedy's request to halt all ships going to Cuba by saying that Kennedy is only trying to intimidate the Soviet Union and that he is no longer appealing to reason.

Danger

Oct 25, 1962

The missiles in Cuba were now operational. The blockade continues sending all ships carrying military supplies back to the Soviet Union, but some not carrying military supplies were allowed to pass. Stevenson continues negotiations at U.N.

Solutions

Oct 26, 1962

A soviet freighter is allowed to pass throught the blockade. Khrushchev writes a letter to Kennedy saying that if the U.S. does not invade Cuba and lifts the blockade, the missiles will be taken down.

Agreement

Oct 27, 1962

Another letter from Khrushchev demands stricter terms, saying this time that the missiles in Turkey must be removed. A U-2 plane is shot down over Cuba by the Soviets and killed the pilot. Robert Kennedy and Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin meet secretly and come to an agreement that the Soviets will remove the missiles from Cuab in exchange for the Americans not invading Cuba and eventually removing the missiles from Turkey.

Resolution

Oct 28, 1962

Radio Moscow announces that the Soviet Union has accepted the terms for removing the missiles. A letter from Krushchev affirms that the missiles will be removed in exchange for a non-invasion pact from the U.S.