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blockade of Cuba by the U.S. Navy
President Kennedy decided on a blockade of Cuba by the U.S. Navy to prevent further shipments of military supplies to the island -
Caught the Soviet Government off Guard
Kennedy’s address caught the Soviet government off guard. For several hours, there was no response. Soviet diplomats in the United States were especially baffled. Like most Americans, they first learned of the Soviet missile build-up in Cuba through Kennedy’s speech. -
Soviets were installing nuclear missiles in Cuba.
Kennedy announced in a televised speech to the American public that the Soviets were installing nuclear missiles in Cuba. He then informed the nation of his decision to enforce a quarantine of Cuba until the missiles were removed. -
Kennedy blasted the U.S. quarantine od Cuba
He blasted the U.S. quarantine of Cuba as a violation of international law. Khrushchev maintained that the missiles in Cuba, regardless of their type, were meant “exclusively for defensive purposes, in order to secure the Cuban republic from an aggressor’s attack.” He also warned the United States that military aggression toward Cuba might lead to nuclear war. -
Possible Nuclear War
As the crisis intensified, many Americans feared that war, possibly nuclear war, was probable. The U.S. naval quarantine went into effect -
Soviet Ships Turn Back from Cuba
At least a dozen Soviet ships en route to Cuba turned back, but preparations at the missile sites on the island accelerated. Soviets and Cubans started working around the clock to make the missiles operational. -
Soviet Forces Shot Down a U.S. Reconnaissance Flight
War seemed even more likely when Soviet forces shot down a U.S. reconnaissance flight over Cuba, killing the pilot, Major Rudolf Anderson. The day before Castro had ordered Cuban air defense forces to fire on any U.S. aircraft that flew within range -
The Presedents offered to "Give Assurence Against Th Invasion of Cuba"
In the evening, the president offered to “give assurances against the invasion of Cuba” and to “remove promptly” the quarantine measures that were in effect. In return, Kennedy expected the Soviets to remove the missiles from Cuba under international observation and supervision. -
Khrushchev received President Kennedy’s letter
Ambassador Dobrynin’s report of his meeting with Robert Kennedy. In addition, he received a cable from Castro. The Cuban leader expressed his belief that the United States would invade his island in the coming days and called on Khrushchev to launch nuclear missiles at the United States in response to the expected attack. -
A Second Letter Arrived Signed by Khrushchev
This letter took a much more hardline position, insisting that the United States remove its nuclear missiles from Turkey in return for a withdrawal of Soviet missiles from Cuba. Kennedy found the demands contained in the second letter unacceptable for two reasons. -
In The End The Soviet- Cuban talks On
The Soviet- Cuban talks dragged on before Castro reluctantly gave his assent to other aspects of the agreement. Adding to the pressure the Cuban leader felt, the United States continued its naval quarantine and daily reconnaissance flights during the negotiations. In the end, Castro saw the arrangement that resolved the missile crisis as a threat to Cuba’s security.