The Cuban Missile Crisis

1
The Cuban Missile Crisis
2
Memo from the CIA on the Bay of Pigs Invasion
(1961)

• J.D. Esterline became director of a task force to
  direct the Cuban project on January 18, 1960.
• He reported to Richard M. Bissell, although
  Bissell's principal aide, Tracy Barnes, acted for
  Bissell about 50 percent of the time.
• This memo outlined the preparations for military
  action against Cuba.
• The question of whether the incoming
  administration of President-Elect Kennedy will
  concur in the conduct of the strike operations
  outlined above needs to be resolved at the
  earliest possible time.
• Recommendation. That the strike operation be
  conducted in the latter half of February, and not
  later than 1 March, 1961.

Esterline
Barnes
Bissell
3
Memo from the CIA on an Invasion of Cuba (1961)

• In the minutes from a meeting to discuss possible
  action in Cuba, again the desire to learn what
  the Kennedy Administrations stand would be on
  action in Cuba is emphasized.
• It also expresses a reluctance to land U.S.
  forces in Cuba.
• Mr. Mann said he had talked with members of the
  Latin American diplomatic corps and had indicated
  to them that the (US) wanted to know whether the
  OAS system could prevent Castro's exportation of
  communism They wanted to know first where the
  Kennedy administration and the Quadros
  administration would stand.
• The Secretary then commented on the enormous
  implications of putting U.S. forces ashore in
  Cuba and said we should consider everything short
  of this, including rough stuff, before doing so.

4
Bay of Pigs Map
5
Joint Chiefs of Staff Conference with President
Kennedy (January 1961)

• Once Kennedy was in office, the looming threat of
  Cuba had to be dealt with.
• This memo discusses the looming threat in Cuba
  and the need to take strong action soon.
• The President asked what the Chiefs think should
  be done regarding Cuba. General Lemnitzer
  replied, recalling that the initial plans were
  for clandestine operations the clandestine
  forces are not strong enough.
• General Decker added that this action should be
  taken under a recognized Cuban leader, and,
  unfortunately, we do not have one at present
  Admiral Burke agreed that there is lack of a
  leader to rally around, and that we need somebody
  to fill this role.
• In the audio clip, Kennedy expresses the intent
  of his administration to fight Communism in the
  western hemisphere.

Kennedy on The Bay of Pigs
6
Ernesto Che Guevara Mobilizing the Masses for
the Invasion (28 March 1961)

• This speech was made to sugar workers in Santa
  Clara twenty days before the Bay of Pigs
  invasion.
• We have to remind ourselves of this at every
  moment that we are in a war where the two
  adversaries - this tiny champion of the Caribbean
  and the immense imperialist hyena - are face to
  face and aware that one of them is going to end
  up dead in the fight.
• It will mean the beginning of the end of
  colonial domination in America, that is, the
  definitive beginning of the end for North
  American imperialism.
• The murder of Patrice Lumumba is an example of
  what the empire is capable of when the struggle
  against it is carried on in a firm and sustained
  way. Imperialism must be struck on the snout
  once, and again, and then again, in an infinite
  succession of blows and counter-blows. That is
  the only way the people can win their real
  independence.

Guevara
Lumumba
7
Fidel Castro Second Declaration of Havana (4
February 1962)

• The Cuban Revolution of 1959 was a broadly based
  nationalist revolution against a corrupt
  government.
• It was lead by Fidel Castro. He apparently had
  the support of most Cubans in his broad based
  "provisional government".
• By 1962, after the US began to give "covert"
  assistance to Cuban exiles opposing the
  revolution, Castro had adopted Marxism-Leninism
  as the ideology of the Cuban Revolution.
• What is Cuba's history but that of Latin
  America? What is the history of Latin America but
  the history of Asia, Africa, and Oceania? And
  what is the history of all these peoples but the
  history of the cruelest exploitation of the world
  by imperialism?

8
A. Adzhubei Account of Visit to Washington to
the CPSU (12 March 1962)

• This memo outlines a conversation Adzhubei had
  with President Kennedy regarding Cuba.
• (Kennedy) paused a little and said How is Che
  Guevara?
• I answered that he didn't seem to look bad,
  although I didn't see him often, and asked him in
  turn, why was the president suddenly interested
  in one of the participants of the Cuban
  revolution?
• I read some dispatches to the press, answered
  Kennedy.
• In turn I remarked You are interested in the
  events in Cuba, that is your right. But when we
  read that the USA plans to invade Cuba, we don't
  think that this is your right.
• We are not planning an invasion of Cuba,
  Kennedy answered
• Kennedy remarked sharply We will not meddle
  with events in Cuba.
• It's a very big shame, Mister President, I
  said to him, that your words are not allowed to
  be published in the newspapers.

9
Malinovsky Zakharov Memo on Deployment of
Soviet Forces to Cuba (24 May 1962)

• This memo was the first general plan for the
  deployment of Soviet nuclear missiles to Cuba
  prepared by the General Staff, in response to a
  request by Khrushchev.
• It was discussed at a CPSU Presidium (Politburo)
  and unanimously approved.
• The Ministry of Defense proposesto deploy on
  the island of Cuba a Group of Soviet Forces
  comprising all branches of the Armed Forces
• To send as part of the Group of Forces in Cuba
  in July-AugustTwo regiments of FKR (16
  launchers) with PRTB, with their missiles and 5
  special Trans nuclear warheads for each
  launcher. Range of the FKR is up to 180 km.

Malinovsky
Zakharov
10
President John F. Kennedy Statement on Cuba
(September 4, 1962)

• JFK states that the Soviet Union is aiding the
  Communists in Cuba, but they have yet to violate
  any treaties.
• Information has reached this Government in the
  last four days from a variety of sources which
  establishes without doubt that the Soviets have
  provided the Cuban Government with a number of
  anti-aircraft defense missiles extensive radar
  and other electronic equipment (and) several
  Soviet-made motor torpedo boats carrying
  ship-to-ship guided missiles
• There is no evidence of any organized combat
  force in Cuba from any Soviet bloc country of
  military bases provided to Russia of a violation
  of the 1934 treaty relating to Guantanamo of the
  presence of offensive ground-to-ground missiles
  or of other significant offensive capability
  either in Cuban hands or under Soviet direction
  and guidance. Were it to be otherwise, the
  gravest issues would arise.

11
Malinovsky Zakharov Soviet Memo Authorizing
Use of Nuclear Weapons in Cuba (8 September 1962)

• To the Commander of the Group of Soviet Forces
  in Cuba
• For the purpose of strengthening of the Group of
  Soviet Forces in Cuba and increasing its
  capability to fight against the enemy landing,
  we are sending you additional means
• squadron of plane-carriers IL-28 (6 planes and 6
  nuclear bombs407 H) with PRTB
• three battalions of "Luna" (6 launchers, 12
  missiles, 12 special warheads and 24 conventional
  missiles) with PTRB
• In a situation of an enemy landing on the island
  of Cuba when the destruction of the enemy is
  delaying further actions and there is no
  possibility of receiving instructions from the
  USSR Ministry of Defense, you are permitted to
  make your own decision and to use the nuclear
  means of the "Luna," IL-28 or FKR-1 as
  instruments of local warfare for the destruction
  of the enemy on land and along the coast in order
  to achieve the complete destruction of the
  invaders on the Cuban territory and to defend the
  Republic of Cuba.

12
Soviet Missile Installation in Cuba (1962)
Low-level photograph of 6 Frog (Luna) missile
transporters under a tree at a military camp near
Remedios
13
Ranges of Nuclear Missile Launches from Cuba
14
Soviet Statement on Potential Cuban Attack by
U.S. (11 September 1962)

• In this statement issued by the Soviet
  government, they express their concern over the
  calling-up of US reservists.
• They state that any action in Cuba would lead to
  a nuclear confrontation while maintaining their
  motivations for peace.
• The Government of the U.S.S.R. deems it
  necessary to draw the attention of the
  governments of all countries and world opinion to
  the provocations the United States Government is
  now staging, provocations which might plunge the
  world into the disaster (of) a universal world
  war with the use of thermonuclear weapons.
• The President of the United States asked
  Congress to permit the call-up of 150,000
  reservists to the armed forcesSuch a step
  cannot be assessed otherwise than a screen for
  aggressive plans and intentions of the United
  States itself This is a provocation against the
  peace, this is done in the interests of war, in
  the interests of aggression.

15
Director of Central Intelligence McCone Memo (11
October 1962)

• This memo details information regarding
  intelligence photographs of Soviet bombers being
  transported to Cuba.
• Concern is expressed by the President regarding
  the dissemination of this information to the
  public prior to the election.
• I then showed the President photographs of the
  crates which presumably were carrying Soviet
  medium bombers, and were deck loaded on a ship
  which had arrived in Havana in the early days of
  October. The President requested that such
  information be withheld at least until after
  elections as if the information got into the
  press, a new and more violent Cuban issue would
  be injected into the campaign and this would
  seriously affect his independence of action.

16
Malinovsky USSR, directive, TOP SECRET Order to
Pliyev (22 October 1962)

• This is a Top Secret Russian military order to
  increase combat readiness in Cuba to assist the
  Cuban Army in the event of a US invasion.
• TROSTNIK -to comrade PAVLOV
• In connection with possible landing on Cuba of
  Americans participating in maneuvers in the
  Caribbean Sea, undertake urgent measures to
  increase combat readiness and to repel the enemy
  by joint efforts of the Cuban Army and all Soviet
  troop units, excluding Statsenko's weapons and
  all of Beloborodov's cargo.

Pliyev
17
JFK Letter to Chairman Khrushchev (22 October
1962)

• In this letter to Chairman Khrushchev Kennedy
  states the US position on Berlin and Cuba.
• The President expresses his desire for a peaceful
  resolution, but insists that action will be taken
  if necessary.
• The United States could not tolerate any action
  on your part which in a major way disturbed the
  existing over-all balance of power in the world.
• I publicly stated that if certain developments
  in Cuba took place, the United States would do
  whatever must be done to protect its own security
  and that of its allies.
• I hope that your Government will refrain from
  any action which would widen or deepen this
  already grave crisis and that we can agree to
  resume the path of peaceful negotiation.

18
JFK Report to the American People on the Soviet
Arms Buildup in Cuba (22 October 1962)

• Questions to consider
• 1)What does Kennedy claim is the purpose of the
  missile bases on Cuba?
• 2)What did the U.S.S.R. claim was the type of
  aide they were providing Cuba?
• 3)What steps did Kennedy authorize to be taken?
• 4)What does he state will be the result of a
  missile attack by Cuba on any nation in the
  western hemisphere?
• 5)What does he call upon Khrushchev to do?

This was the announcement made to the public by
Kennedy on the build-up of Soviet arms in Cuba.
19
Chairman Khrushchev Letter to President Kennedy
(24 October 1962)

• In Khrushchevs response to President Kennedys
  letter, the Chairman outlines the reasons for his
  refusal to submit to the Presidents arbitrary
  demands.
• Just imagine, Mr. President, that we had
  presented you with the conditions of an ultimatum
  which you have presented us by your action. How
  would you have reacted to this? I think that you
  would have been indignant at such a step on our
  part.
• You, Mr. President, are not declaring a
  quarantine, but rather are setting forth an
  ultimatum and threatening that if we do not give
  in to your demands you will use force.
• The Soviet Government considers that the
  violation of the freedom to use international
  waters and international air space is an act of
  aggression which pushes mankind toward the abyss
  of a world nuclear-missile war.

20
The Cuban Crisis (1962)

• Questions to consider
• 1) What steps did the U.S. take to hinder weapons
  shipments to Cuba?
• 3) What does this clip claim Castro has been
  doing to prepare for invasion?
• 4) What was Castros reaction to UN weapons
  inspectors?
• 5) How was the U.S. able to determine that Cuba
  had missile bases?
• 6) What organization pledged their support of
  U.S. action?

This newsreel story details the events of the
Cuban Missile Crisis to date.
21
Fidel Castro Letter to Premier Khrushchev (26
October 1962)

• In this letter, Castro informs Khrushchev of an
  imminent invasion.
• He goes on to describe how it will be met by the
  Cuban people and makes suggestions as to the
  Soviet Unions action in such a case.
• From an analysis of the situation and the
  reports in our possession, I consider that the
  aggression is almost imminent within the next 24
  or 72 hours.
• The morale of the Cuban people is extremely high
  and the aggressor will be confronted heroically.
• If the imperialists invade Cuba with the goal
  of occupying it, the danger that that aggressive
  policy poses for humanity is so great that the
  Soviet Union must never allow the circumstances
  in which the imperialists could launch the first
  nuclear strike against it.

22
Crisis Eases Wary U.S. Awaits Missile Removal
(29 October 1962)

• Questions to consider
• 1)Who is arriving at the UN to represent the
  U.S.S.R.?
• 2)Who is the acting Secretary General of the UN
  at this time?
• 3)What role is U Thant playing in negotiations?
• 4)Who will supervise the removal of missile sites
  in Cuba?

This is a newsreel story in which Russian
Kusnetsov arrives at the UN and meets with U
Thant.
23
Missile Bases Castro Balks At U.N. Team (1
November 1962)

• Questions to consider
• 1)From where is U Thant returning?
• 2)What does he predict about the dismantling of
  missile bases in Cuba?
• 3)When will the process be complete?
• 4)What will happen to the missiles there?
• 5)What does the Whitehouse announce about the
  Naval Quarantine?

In this newsreel story, U Thant returns to NY
from meeting with Castro regarding Cuban Missile
Crisis. He speaks to press about his meeting and
his findings there.
24
Multimedia Citation

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