The Cuban Missile Crisis In October 1962 the

The Cuban Missile Crisis • In October 1962, the U. S. and the Soviet Union came to the brink of war. • In early 1962, the Soviet Union was transporting large amount of arms and some troops to Cuba. • Never before had Moscow stationed nuclear weapons outside its own territorial borders.

The Cuban Missile Crisis • On September 11, the Soviet government made the following announcement: – “There is no need for the Soviet Union to shift its weapons for the repulsion of aggression to any other country, for instance Cuba. Our nuclear weapons are so powerful in their explosive force and the Soviet Union has such powerful rockets to carry these nuclear warheads, that there is no need to search for sites for them beyond the boundaries of the Soviet Union. ”

The Cuban Missile Crisis • In response, President Kennedy promised that he would not invade Cuba unless Cuba threatened other nations in Latin America or became an offensive base for the Soviet Union. If, however, Cuba became an offensive base for the Soviet Union, then the U. S. will do whatever to protect its own security.

The Cuban Missile Crisis • On October 15 -16, the United States had discovered Soviet ballistic missiles (with nuclear warheads) in Cuba. • Why did the Soviet Union undertake such a reckless move?

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Nuclear imbalance? • In 1962, the United States had at least 180 ICBMs, 12 submarines (each carrying 12 nuclear warheads), and 630 strategic bombers stationed in the U. S. , Europe and Asia. • The Soviet Union had only 20 ICBMs and 6 submarines without foreign nuclear bases.

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Berlin? • In 1945, Berlin had been divided into zones of occupation among the Americans, British, French, and Soviets. • West Berlin was located in the heart of the communist East German state. • In 1958, Khrushchev had decided to make West Berlin the key battlefield in the Cold War, demanding that the West withdraw from Berlin.

West and East Berlin

The Cuban Missile Crisis • If the U. S. did nothing, Khrushchev would force the West out of Berlin, confident that the missiles in Cuba would deter the Americans from starting a war. • If the Americans tried to negotiate, Khrushchev could trade Cuba with Berlin. • If the Americans blockaded or attacked Cuba, he could use this as the excuse for an equivalent blockade or attack on Berlin.

Kennedy and Khrushchev

The Cuban Missile Crisis • How did the United States respond to the missile deployment in Cuba? • President Kennedy assembled his most trusted advisers in the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (Ex. Com) • Let’s look at all the possible alternatives.

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 1: Do Nothing

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 1: Do Nothing • Benefits: – The U. S. should not overreact to the Soviet move and prompt an explosive countermove against Berlin. • Costs: – Failing to respond would divide allies – Weakens the U. S. position in the West – Domestic consequences of inaction would be intolerable. (Kennedy said, “Well, I think I would have been impeached. ”)

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 2: Diplomacy – Negotiating the removal of the missiles with bargaining on both sides (suggested by Adlai Stevenson).

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 2: Diplomacy – Negotiating the removal of the missiles with bargaining on both sides (suggested by Adlai Stevenson). • Benefits: – No military conflict? • Costs: – While the diplomats argued, the missiles in Cuba would become operational – Breaking up the alliance by confirming European suspicions that the U. S. would sacrifice their security to protect its own interests.

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 3: A Secret Approach to Castro

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 3: A Secret Approach to Castro • Benefits: – Castro might break with Moscow if he knew that he was in deadly danger. • Costs: – Missiles were firmly under Soviet control!

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 4: Invasion – General Taylor said, “I am a pessimist, Mr. President. We have a war plan over there for you. It calls for a quarter of a million American soldiers to take an island. ”

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 4: Invasion – General Taylor said, “I am a pessimist, Mr. President. We have a war plan over there for you. It calls for a quarter of a million American soldiers to take an island. ” • Benefits: – The U. S. could remove not only the missiles but also Castro regime. • Costs: – Possible nuclear disaster. – An equivalent Soviet move against West Berlin.

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 5: Air Strike – The removal of the missile sites by a swift conventional air attack.

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 5: Air Strike – The removal of the missile sites by a swift conventional air attack. • Benefits: – A strike would remove the missiles before they became operational. • Costs: – Even if the missile sites could be destroyed, the Soviet bombers might attack the southeastern U. S. – A surprise air attack would kill Russians at the missile sites. – A surprise attack was like Pearl Harbor.

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 6: Blockade with “ultimatum” – An embargo on military shipments to Cuba enforced by a naval blockade. – Demanding removal of the missiles – No negotiations – The threat of further military action – Supported by Robert Kennedy.

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 6: Blockade with “ultimatum” • Benefits: – Convey a sense of imminent confrontation without direct military action. • Costs: – Soviet might blockade Berlin (joint blockade). – If Soviet ships did not stop, the U. S. would be forced to fire the first shot, inviting Soviet retaliation. – Blockade itself was not related to those missiles already in Cuba. A blockade might allow the Soviets to buy time to complete the missile installations.

The Cuban Missile Crisis • Alternative 7: Blockade with “negotiations” – – A naval blockade. Do not demand removal of the missiles already there. Offer a summit meeting. Striking a deal that might trade withdrawal of missiles in Cuba for American concessions on its missiles in Turkey and Italy. – Supported by Mc. Namara and Stevenson

The Cuban Missile Crisis • On October 20 -21, President Kennedy chose Alternative 6: Blockade with Ultimatum. • The blockade was coupled with a demand for withdrawal of the missiles. No summit meeting or other channels of negotiation was offered. Direct military action (air strike and invasion) against Cuba was threatened. • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=W 50 RNAbmy 3 M

The Cuban Missile Crisis • How did the Soviet Union respond? • On October 24, Khrushchev sent a letter saying that he would tell Soviet captains to ignore the American blockade. He also called for a summit meeting with Kennedy. • On October 25, Khrushchev said that he wanted to resolve the crisis. He suggested the terms, “Give us a pledge not to invade Cuba, and we will remove the missiles… to make Cuba into a zone of peace. ”

The Cuban Missile Crisis • The blockade showed U. S. willingness to escalate this crisis to the point of risking a military confrontation. It was the first step in a series of moves that threatened air strike or invasion. • Without such threat, the blockade alone would not have forced the removal of the missiles already present. • Khrushchev faced a clear, urgent threat that America was about to move up the ladder of escalation.