The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962
The Cuban Missile Crisis was probably the hot spot in the Cold War. For 13 days in October 1962 the world appeared to stand on the brink of nuclear war.
Background
Cuba is an island just 90 miles off the coast of Florida. Until 1959, it was closely allied to the United States under the leadership of the right-wing dictator, General Batista. There was considerable American When a country invests in another country. in Cuba and the USA was the chief consumer of Cuba鈥檚 sugar and tobacco.
In 1959 Batista was overthrown in a revolution led by Fidel Castro. One of Castro鈥檚 first moves was to go to the USA to secure support for his new state, but President Eisenhower refused to speak with him. At the United Nations office in New York, Castro talked with representatives of the Soviet Union, and they offered their support for his new government. Castro had not been a Supporters of the communist movement or party. before 1960, but was drawn to A classless society where all property is owned publicly. by the friendship and support offered by Khrushchev and his government. Castro An industry or business being taken over by the government. all American-owned companies in Cuba, and refused to pay A sum of money paid to make up for suffering, injury or loss.. The USA then had a communist state 鈥榠n its own backyard鈥.
The US response to the Cuban Revolution
Trade embargo: The US imposed a trade embargo on Cuban goods, depriving Cubans of a market for their sugar and tobacco and the income to import oil and other essential goods.
The Bay of Pigs: In April 1961, just after he was installed as President of the USA, John F Kennedy approved a plan to invade Cuba and overthrow communism. The A US organisation used to gather information on the country鈥檚 opponents and enemies. landed 1,400 Cuban When someone is away from their home country and is refused permission to return. at the Bay of Pigs on the southern coast of Cuba with the aim of provoking an anti-communist uprising. Almost at the last minute, Kennedy cancelled an order that had promised the Cuban The action of opposing an individual or group. US Air Force support for their A sudden shift in government control, usually brought about by violent or illegal action by a small group. Often shortened to coup.. The lack of air support meant the rebels were easily defeated when they were met by 20,000 heavily armed Cuban troops. All were captured or killed.
Discovery of the missiles
On 14 October 1962, an American spy plane flying over Cuba took pictures that showed the construction of Soviet missile launch sites. Experts estimated that they would be ready to fire in seven days. Meanwhile, another American spy plane discovered 20 Soviet ships carrying nuclear missiles in the Atlantic Ocean heading for Cuba.
The threat to the USA
Cuba was only 90 miles from the coast of Florida meaning that the USA, including many of its biggest cities like Washington DC and New York, would be well within range of these missiles. The lives of 80 million Americans were at stake.
Nuclear missiles on Cuba
- To close the missile gap: The Soviet leader, Khrushchev, knew the USA had medium and long-range nuclear missiles aimed at the USSR based in Turkey, just on the USSR鈥檚 鈥榙oorstep鈥. It might also have given Khrushchev a bargaining tool in negotiations about Berlin.
- Domestic politics: Khrushchev wanted to strengthen his political position in the USSR and show his government that he wasn鈥檛 soft on America.
- To protect Cuba: Khrushchev wanted to support the new communist country in 鈥楿ncle Sam鈥檚 backyard鈥, and ensure that the Americans would not attempt another incident like the Bay of Pigs and attempt to overthrow Castro.
Kennedy's dilemma
After talks with EX-Comm (his team of advisors), Kennedy was faced with a range of options to deal with the Soviet threat in Cuba:
- ignore the missiles
- get the UN involved
- blockade Cuba
- invade with soldiers or launch air attacks
Above all, he needed to appear strong whilst ensuring that tensions didn鈥檛 worsen and escalate to nuclear war.
Kennedy鈥檚 response: the naval blockade of Cuba
Kennedy鈥檚 final decision was a US blockade of Cuba, which Kennedy called a 鈥榪uarantine zone鈥, and which could stop further Soviet missiles coming to Cuba buying him time to negotiate with the Soviets.
Naval blockade timeline
| 22 October | Kennedy imposes a naval blockade around Cuba, to stop the Soviet ships suspected of carrying nuclear missiles from reaching Cuba. |
| 23 October | Kennedy receives a letter from Khrushchev saying that the Soviet ships will not stop at the blockade, but will force their way through. |
| 24 October | Despite Khrushchev鈥檚 鈥榯ough talk', the twenty ships approaching the blockade turn back (presumably to avoid direct confrontation with the US Navy). |
| 25 October | US spy planes report increased building work at the missile launch sites on Cuba. |
| 26 October | Kennedy receives a letter from Khrushchev promising to remove the launch sites if the USA agrees to lift the blockade and promises not to invade Cuba. |
| 27 October | A second letter from Khrushchev says the launch sites will only be removed if the US removes its missiles in Turkey. Kennedy opts to answer only the first telegram while privately offering to consider the removal of missiles from Turkey. |
| 28 October | In a public message to President Kennedy broadcast on Moscow radio, Khrushchev agrees to the removal of all missiles on Cuba and their return to the Soviet Union. |
| 22 October |
| Kennedy imposes a naval blockade around Cuba, to stop the Soviet ships suspected of carrying nuclear missiles from reaching Cuba. |
| 23 October |
| Kennedy receives a letter from Khrushchev saying that the Soviet ships will not stop at the blockade, but will force their way through. |
| 24 October |
| Despite Khrushchev鈥檚 鈥榯ough talk', the twenty ships approaching the blockade turn back (presumably to avoid direct confrontation with the US Navy). |
| 25 October |
| US spy planes report increased building work at the missile launch sites on Cuba. |
| 26 October |
| Kennedy receives a letter from Khrushchev promising to remove the launch sites if the USA agrees to lift the blockade and promises not to invade Cuba. |
| 27 October |
| A second letter from Khrushchev says the launch sites will only be removed if the US removes its missiles in Turkey. Kennedy opts to answer only the first telegram while privately offering to consider the removal of missiles from Turkey. |
| 28 October |
| In a public message to President Kennedy broadcast on Moscow radio, Khrushchev agrees to the removal of all missiles on Cuba and their return to the Soviet Union. |
John F Kennedy on the Cuban Missile Crisis
Consequences of Cuban Missile Crisis
- Both sides considered they had secured a victory: Khrushchev had saved the communist regime in Cuba from invasion by the USA, and had negotiated a deal with the USA on the removal of their Jupiter missiles in Turkey. Kennedy had kept his election promise and stood up to the USSR, and kept nuclear missiles out of Cuba.
- In order to ensure easier communication between Washington DC and Moscow in the event of future conflict, a hotline was installed giving a direct phone link between the The official residence of the President of the United States, located in Washington DC. and the The official residence of the President of the Soviet Union, located in Moscow..
- Both the USA and the USSR realised they had been on the brink of nuclear war and entered into talks. These talks eventually led to the 1963 Test Ban Treaty which began the process of ending the testing of nuclear weapons.
- In the long term, the crisis may have created a willingness on both sides to enter into the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) later in the 1960s. At SALT1 an agreement was reached not to build any more Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs).
Revison tip:
You may be asked to give an analytical account of why something happened. This means you will need to write clearly about what happened, why it happened and what its aftereffects were.
A good structure for this is to think:
CAUSES-EVENTS-CONSEQUENCES