The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day political and military standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union in October 1962. It was one of the most dangerous moments in the Cold War, with the two superpowers coming close to nuclear war. The crisis began when the United States discovered that the Soviet Union was secretly installing nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the United States.
1. Background
- Cuba's Revolution: In 1959, a socialist revolution led by Fidel Castro overthrew the US-backed government of Cuba. This alarmed the US government, which feared that Cuba would become a communist state allied with the Soviet Union.
- Bay of Pigs Invasion: In 1961, the US attempted to overthrow Castro's government with a failed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles trained and equipped by the US government.
- Soviet Union's Aid to Cuba: In response to the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Soviet Union increased its economic and military aid to Cuba, including sending nuclear missiles.
2. Discovery
- US Spy Planes: In October 1962, US spy planes flying over Cuba discovered evidence of Soviet missile installations. President John F. Kennedy was informed of the discovery on October 16.
- Kennedy's Response: Kennedy convened a group of his top advisors, including Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, and National Security Advisor McGeorge Bundy, to discuss the situation. They concluded that the missiles posed a grave threat to US national security and that the US could not tolerate them.
3. Blockade
- Naval Blockade: On October 22, Kennedy announced that the US would impose a naval blockade, or quarantine, around Cuba to prevent further Soviet shipments of missiles. The US Navy began intercepting Soviet ships bound for Cuba, while the US Air Force went on high alert.
- Soviet Response: The Soviet Union denounced the US blockade as an act of aggression and refused to recognize it as legal. Soviet ships continued to approach the quarantine zone, risking a confrontation with US naval forces.
4. Diplomacy
- Backchannel Negotiations: Behind the scenes, Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev engaged in a series of secret negotiations to try to resolve the crisis peacefully. The US offered to remove US missiles from Turkey in exchange for the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba.
- Confrontation at the UN: On October 25, Soviet ambassador to the UN Valerian Zorin challenged the US at the UN, demanding to know whether the US was prepared to start a war over Cuba. US ambassador to the UN Adlai Stevenson presented photographic evidence of the missile installations and demanded that the Soviet Union remove them.
- Khrushchev's Ultimatum: On October 26, Khrushchev sent a letter to Kennedy stating that the Soviet Union would remove the missiles if the US guaranteed not to invade Cuba and removed US missiles from Turkey. Kennedy's advisors were split on how to respond, with some calling for military action and others urging restraint.
5. Resolution
- Public Address by Kennedy: On October 22, Kennedy addressed the nation in a televised speech, revealing the existence of the missile installations and outlining the US response. He warned that any missile launched from Cuba would be regarded as an attack on the United States, and vowed to take whatever action was necessary to protect US security.
- Khrushchev's Stand Down: On October 28, Khrushchev announced that the Soviet Union would remove the missiles from Cuba. In exchange, the US agreed not to invade Cuba and to remove US missiles from Turkey.
- End of Crisis: The crisis was officially over on October 28, 1962. The US ended the naval blockade
Post a Comment