The Cuban Missile Crisis

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The Cuban Missile Crisis
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U-2 Photographs

• Soviets pledged Cuba would only receive non-nuke
  defensive weapons
• October 14, 1962 U-2 flight over Cuba disclosed
  Soviet efforts to install 40 nuclear missiles.
• USSR went against US warnings of putting missiles
  in Cuba

3
Motives for Missiles in Cuba???

• Soviet Intentions for Missiles unclear
• Berlin
• US Missiles/Weapons

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Negotiate for Berlin?

• USSR threatening control of ALL OF BERLIN
• Thousands of East Germans fled to West through
  Berlin
• Berlin Wall in Aug. 1961- Kept East Germans on
  Soviet side
• US feared USSR wanted to negotiate Berlin for
  taking down Cuban missiles

5
US Weapons near USSR

• USSR had more troops and non-nuke weapons in
  Europe than NATO
• Jupiter missiles in Turkey to protect NATO
  members, but outdated by 1962
• Developed Polaris submarine which could carry
  Nuke missiles

6
Back to Cuba

• Question was not whether they should be removed
  but HOW
• Kept the intelligence secret from the USSR at
  first buy time to decide reaction

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ExComm
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ExComm

• Oct. 16, 1962 - Kennedy called closest most
  trusted advisors to help him manage crisis
• Executive Committee of the National Security
  Council ExComm
• They met to consider the options 4 days came up
  with 3 choices

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3 Options

• Option 1 Peaceful Diplomacy
• Option 2 Naval Blockade
• Option 3 Air Strike of Missiles/Invade Cuba

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Outcome

• Kennedy chooses a blockade and then backdoor
  negotiation
• Military pushes for more aggressive actions
• Ultimately
• SU agrees to remove missiles immediately from
  Cuba
• US promises not invade Cuba, SECRETLY will remove
  Jupiter missiles, but this info can not be
  leaked.