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Intelligence Reveals Missiles
President Kennedy is told of a missile base in Cuba. This intelligence was found by a U-2 plane. The same style plane that was shot down over the Soviet Union. -
Period: to
October 16, 1962 - October 28, 1962
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Military Moving
U.S. Military units start moving to bases in the southeast. Images are taken and 16-32 missiles are found. -
Defensive Aid
Soviet foreign minister visits JFK and tells him that the soviet aid to Cuba is purely defensive. Kennedy then reads him his public warning speech. -
Campaign
Kennedy goes to Ohio and Illinois for a scheduled campaign. -
Planning a speech and deployment
Kennedy plans to deploy a naval unit. He also works on his speech to warn the public. -
Possible air strike
Kennedy goes to mass. Then, he talks about a possible air strike. However, he figures out that an air strike doesn't guarantee complete destruction of the missiles. -
Informing past presidents
Kennedy tells Truman, Hoover, and Eisenhower about the circumstances. Kennedy forms a committee to hold daily meetings on the current situation. -
Getting the U.N. involved
The matter on hand is brought to the U.N. Naval fleets move into place around Cuba. -
Khrushchev Replies
His reply to kennedy's request was, "You, Mr. President, are not declaring a quarantine, but rather are setting forth an ultimatum and threatening that if we do not give in to your demands you will use force. Consider what you are saying! And you want to persuade me to agree to this! What would it mean to agree to these demands? It would mean guiding oneself in one's relations with other countries not by reason, but by submitting to arbitrariness. You are no longer appealing to reason..." -
Letter to Khrushchev
Kennedy knows missiles are in place to attack. He sends a letter to Khrushchev asking him to think about what he is doing. -
Soviet ship is searched
A soviet charter is searched for contraband. Castro urges Khrushchev to initiate the first strike. -
Soviets send a letter
Soviets request that the U.S. removes the missiles in Turkey. An American spy plane is shot down over Cuba. -
The most dangerous day
Soviets say that their missiles will be removed in exchange for a non-invasion pledge from the U.S.
