Cuban+Missile+Crisis

__**﻿ **__**Cuban Missile Crisis **

Jaycee Affeldt & Robyn Timmer


 * Summary:**
 * The most serious confrontation between the USA and USSR in the cold war.
 * The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the "sixteen days in October" required the entire attention of President Kennedy and his most influential advisors.
 * Nikita Khrushchev believed that placing intermediate- range missiles would counter the lead that the USA had
 * The Cuban Missile Crisis was the closest the world ever came to a nuclear war.
 * In 1962, the Soviet Union was desperately behind the United States in the arms race. Soviet missiles were only powerful enough to be launched against Europe but U.S. missiles were capable of striking the entire Soviet Union. In late April 1962, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev conceived the idea of placing intermediate-range missiles in Cuba. A deployment in Cuba would double the Soviet strategic arsenal and provide a real deterrent to a potential U.S. attack against the Soviet Union.
 * For the United States, the crisis began on October 15, 1962 when reconnaissance photographs revealed Soviet missiles under construction in Cuba. Early the next day, President John Kennedy was informed of the missile installations. Kennedy immediately organized the EX-COMM, a group of his twelve most important advisors to handle the crisis. After seven days of guarded and intense debate within the upper echelons of government, Kennedy concluded to impose a naval quarantine around Cuba. He wished to prevent the arrival of more Soviet offensive weapons on the island. On October 22, Kennedy announced the discovery of the missile installations to the public and his decision to quarantine the island. He also proclaimed that any nuclear missile launched from Cuba would be regarded as an attack on the United States by the Soviet Union and demanded that the Soviets remove all of their offensive weapons from Cuba.
 * Tensions began to build on both sides during the public phase of the crisis. Kennedy eventually ordered low-level reconnaissance missions one every two hours.
 * Then on the 26th EX-COMM heard from Khrushchev in an impassioned letter. He proposed removing Soviet missiles and personnel if the U.S. would guarantee not to invade Cuba. October 27 was the worst day of the crisis. A U-2 was shot down over Cuba and EX-COMM received a second letter from Khrushchev demanding the removal of U.S. missiles in Turkey in exchange for Soviet missiles in Cuba.
 * What response did Kennedy take in response to the two letters sent by Khrushchev? How did he diffuse this situation? (Mr. L wants to know)
 * Tensions finally began to ease on October 28 when Khrushchev announced that he would dismantle the installations and return the missiles to the Soviet Union, expressing his trust that the United States would not invade Cuba.


 * Sources:**

Source A

Source B

Source C

[|Source D]

[|Source E]
 * Questions:**


 * 1. [In regards to the location of the outpost of Soviet nuclear weapons in the Cuban Missile Crisis]**
 * (a) What, according to source C, was Castro's opinion on Cuba being an outpost of Soviet nuclear weapons?**


 * (b) According to Source C, what were Khrushchev's reasons for wanting Cuba to become the outpost of Soviet nuclear weapons?**


 * 2. In what ways do Castro's views support the views of Kennedy regarding the Cold War in reference to Sources A and C?**


 * 3. With reference to their origin and purpose, asses the value and imitations of Source A and Source B, for historians studying the agreement between J.F. Kennedy, and** **Nikita Khrushchev to end the arms-race, thus bringing a close to the missile crisis.**


 * 4. Using the provided sources and your own background knowledge, analyze why it would have been inconceivable for Khrushchev to agree to liquidate the conflict and pressure situated in Cuba, prior to 1962.**