Cuban Missile Crisis

Last updated Sep 23, 2022 Edit Source

Cuba geographically close to USA

Important to USA’s security

# Safeguards economic interests in Cuba

Cuba: major producer of tabacco and sugar, high in demand in USA
Many US companies heavily invested in Cuba, need pro-US government
Cubans did not like USA’s dominance in their economy

Useful for USA’s economy

# US-Cuba tensions

# American political interventions in Cuba

US installed people that worked for the interests of USA in Cuba
Cubans resented USA due to their intervention

# The Cuban Revolution

Fidel Castro overthrew Colonel Batista (did not immediately identify as communist)

Cubans did not like USA, sought independance

# Castro’s new policies

Sought new markets for Cuban Sugar
- USA had a Sugar Quota, amount and price controlled by USA
- Wanted to decrease reliance on USA’s demands for sugar
- Signed agreement with USSR to trade Cuban sugar for Soviet oil

USA thought Cuba was aligning with the communist bloc as only communist-aligned states trade with each other [COMECON]

Land Reform Law
- Land owned by US corporations and the rich in Cuba broken up and redistributed to poor farmers [similar to Collectivisation]
- Affected US businesses and USA saw this as communist act
Castro and Khrushchev developed close friendship
- USA saw this as openly associating with USSR

# Escalating tensions due to US retaliation against Cuba

# Economic pressure on Cuba

Placed embargoes on US exports to Cuba on everything except food and medicine
Ineffective as USSR stepped in and fulfilled Cuba’s needs

# US attempts to remove Castro

Bay of Pigs invasion and Operation Mongoose
- Attempts to destroy Cuban economy / remove Castro
USA denies involvement but gave training and funding to exiles

# Cuba’s alliance with USSR

After Bay of Pigs invasion, Castro thought USA would go for large-scale invasion
- Started to look for allies: USSR
Castro declared himself Marxist-Leninist, becoming part of communist bloc

Fulfilling USA’s worst fears

# Reasons why USA and USSR went to the brink of Nuclear War over Cuba

# Soviet Installation of USSR Missiles in Cuba

# Cuba’s and USSR’s motivations

Cuba: boost defence and deterrant against political invasion
USSR: use Cuba as bargaining chip for concessions and narrow the ‘missile gap’ by having missiles near USA

# USA’s discovery of missile launch sites in Cuba (15 Oct)

American U-2 spy plane secretly photographed nuclear missile sites being built by the Soviet Union
Kennedy did not want the Soviet Union and Cuba to know that he had discovered the missiles

# Escalation of Tensions during CMC

# American response to missiles in Cuba

Kennedy felt betrayed by Khrushchev as Kennedy was promised that Soviet deployment was fully defensive
- Khrushchev felt that he was not lying, as they were only there to counter the resence of US missiles in Turkey
- Kennedy saw the missiles as offensive as they could target the heart of USA
Not sure if Khrushchev had lost control of USSR’s govt
USSR may be taking a ‘first-strike’ approach
- may cause Mutally Assured Destruction (MAD), where 2 nations send nuclear missiles to each other, destroying each other

# Kennedy’s response

Brinksmanship: pushing a dangerous situation to the limits of safety before stopping
Demanded USSR to remove the missiles in Cuba
Set up a Naval Blockade around Cuba (19 Oct decided, 22 Oct announced, 24 Oct implemented)

# USSR and Cuba’s immediate response

Angered at blockade
- Khrushchev saw this as an illegal act of war
USSR assured Cuba that the USSR would still support Cuba
Soviet forces placed on high alert, allowed to use nuclear missiles if USA invaded
Cuban army mobilised, Castro declared to die fighting

World was on the brink of a full-scale nuclear war

# Who was the ‘Victor’ in the CMC?

# Course of Resolution of CMC

# Khrushchev’s first appeal for peace

Realised having missiles in Cuba only increased the chances of a strike from USA, not protect Cuba from USA
- Privately appealed to withdraw missiles in exchange for USA’s promise to not attack Cuba
- However, Castro threatened to shoot down US spy planes
- Missile sites still being build

# Khrushchev’s second appeal for peace

Asked for removal of missiles in Turkey in exchange for removal of missiles from Cuba
Castro still prepared for war
- Wrote letter to Khrushchev, arguing for first strike against USA

# Impact of U-2 spy plane incident

Soviet troops ordered not to use missiles without permission
Soviet forces shot down a US U-2 spy plane
- Brought up concerns of lack of direct control over military

Now both leaders wanted to reach an agreement ASAP

# Khrushchev accepts Kennedy’s deal (28 Oct)

Khrushchev faced a war-hungary Castro, afraid he might make rash decisions and ruin negotiations
Khrushchev accepted deal and removed missiles in Cuba, USA removed missiles in Turkey

# Khrushchev removes all missiles

Originally only removed long-range missiles, as short-range missiles were not part ot the agreement
Castro angry at USSR’s response, still aggressive about attacking USA
Removed the rest of the missiles as they were a threat in Castro’s hands

# Factors Leading to the Resolution of CMC

# Cooperation between Kennedy and Khrushchev

CMC peacefully resolved and did not lead to full scale nuclear war
- Time allowed on both sides to cool down and consider their responses
- Both leaders were aware of impacts of nuclear war
- Both leaders understood each other’s personal concerns

# International and Public Opinions

# International Opinions

Europeans felt USA overreacted as they lived near nuclear missiles for over a year
CN and Cuba ready to support USSR in invasion of USA

# Public Opinions

American sitizens urged Kennedy to be careful in handling the crisis as they were scared they could all be killed
Soviet public viewed it as just another possible war

# Aftermath of the Crisis

# Implications for USA, USSR and Cuba

# USA

Kennedy seen as courageous for standing up against Khrushchev
US allies unhappy about Turkish missiles’ removal
Kennedy had to accept a communist state very close to USA

# USSR

Khrushchev seen as weak in dealing with USA
Cuba felt betrayed as they were not part of negotiation
Relations with CN broke down
Missile threat in Turkey removed

# Cuba

Castro seen as hero for standing up against USA
Still an ally of USSR
Lost nuclear protection but safe from possible US invasion

# Establishment of Moscow-Washinton Hot Line

Both leaders realised that the lack of direct and confidential communication line led to an escalation of tensions
Necessary to have reliable and quick method of communication to know each others’ intensions instead of guessing

Moscow-Washinton Hot Line establied for a direct line of communications between superpowers

# First steps towards nuclear disarmament

Kennedy and Khrushchev wanted to limit development of nuclear weapons
- Signed Limited Test Ban Treaty, prohibiting testing of nuclear weapons except underground tests
  - Slow down the arm race
  - Limit radiation fallout on Earth’s atmosphere

1962-10-16

Discussions begin on how to respond to the challenge. Two principal courses are offered: an air strike and invasion, or a naval quarantine with the threat of further military action. To avoid arousing public concern, the president maintained his official schedule, meeting periodically with advisors to discuss the status of events in Cuba and possible strategies

1962-10-17

Day 2

American military units begin moving to bases in the Southeastern U.S. as intelligence photos from another U-2 flight show additional sites; and 16 to 32 missiles.

1962-10-18

Day 3

President Kennedy is visited by Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, who asserts that Soviet aid to Cuba is purely defensive and does not represent a threat to the United States. Kennedy, without revealing what he knows of the existence of the missiles, reads to Gromyko his public warning of September 4 that the "gravest consequences" would follow if significant Soviet offensive weapons were introduced into Cuba.

1962-10-19

Day 4

President Kennedy leaves for a scheduled campaign trip to Ohio and Illinois. In Washington, his advisers continue the debate over the necessary and appropriate course of action.

1962-10-20

Day 5

President Kennedy returns suddenly to Washington and after five hours of discussion with top advisers decides on the quarantine. Plans for deploying naval units are drawn and work is begun on a speech to notify the American people.

1962-10-21

Day 6

After attending Mass at St. Stephen's Church with Mrs. Kennedy, the President meets with General Walter Sweeney of the Tactical Air Command who tells him that an air strike could not guarantee 100% destruction of the missiles.

1962-10-22

Day 7

President Kennedy writes to Nikita Khrushchev, Premier of the Soviet Union, prior to addressing the American public on live television. At 7:00 p.m. Kennedy speaks on television, revealing the evidence of Soviet missiles in Cuba and calling for their removal. He also announces the establishment of a naval quarantine around the island until the Soviet Union agrees to dismantle the missile sites and to make certain that no additional missiles are shipped to Cuba.

1962-10-23

Day 8

The ships of the naval quarantine fleet move into place around Cuba. Soviet submarines threaten the quarantine by moving into the Caribbean area. Soviet freighters bound for Cuba with military supplies stop dead in the water, but the oil tanker Bucharest continues towards Cuba. In the evening Robert Kennedy meets with Ambassador Dobrynin at the Soviet Embassy. After the Organization of American States endorsed the quarantine, President Kennedy asks Khrushchev to halt any Russian ships heading toward Cuba. The president's greatest concern is that a US Navy vessel would otherwise be forced to fire upon a Russian vessel, possibly igniting war between the superpowers.

1962-10-24

Day 9

Khrushchev replies to President Kennedy's October 23 letter

1962-10-25

Day 10

Knowing that some missiles in Cuba were now operational, the president personally drafts a letter to Premier Khrushchev, again urging him to change the course of events. Meanwhile, Soviet freighters turn and head back to Europe.

1962-10-26

Day 11

A Soviet-chartered freighter is stopped at the quarantine line and searched for contraband military supplies. None are found and the ship is allowed to proceed to Cuba. In a private letter, Fidel Castro urges Nikita Khrushchev to initiate a nuclear first strike against the United States in the event of an American invasion of Cuba. Later, a long, rambling letter from Khrushchev to Kennedy makes a similar offer: removal of the missiles in exchange for lifting the quarantine and a pledge that the U.S. will not invade Cuba.

1962-10-27

Day 12

A second letter from Moscow demanding tougher terms, including the removal of obsolete Jupiter missiles from Turkey, is received in Washington. Over Cuba, An American U-2 plane is shot down by a Soviet-supplied surface-to-air missile. President Kennedy resists pressure for immediate military action against the SAM sites. Later that night, Robert Kennedy meets secretly with Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin. They reach a basic understanding: the Soviet Union will withdraw the missiles from Cuba under United Nations supervision in exchange for an American pledge not to invade Cuba. In an additional secret understanding, the United States agrees to eventually remove the Jupiter missiles from Turkey.

1962-10-28

Day 13

The thirteen days marking the most dangerous period of the Cuban missile crisis end. Radio Moscow announces that the Soviet Union has accepted the proposed solution and releases the text of a Khrushchev letter affirming that the missiles will be removed in exchange for a non-invasion pledge from the United States.