18.1.16

The Cuban Missile Crisis

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The Cuban Missile Crisis

In October 1962, the USA discovered Soviet Union missile sites on Cuba. President Kennedy and his team had to decide the best course of action.

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Origins of the crisis

  • In October 1962, the USA discovered Soviet Union missile sites on Cuba.
    • Cuba had allowed the Soviet Union to station (put) missiles there to act as a deterrent to stop the USA attacking Cuba again.
  • There was panic in the USA when the public learned about the missile sites in Cuba.
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The options for Kennedy

  • The ‘hawks’ wanted immediate action, while the ‘doves’ wanted to avoid a nuclear war at all costs.
  • America could have invaded Cuba, destroyed the missile sites from the air, blockaded the island, launched a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union, warned Castro or done nothing.
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Kennedy's decision

  • On the 20th October 1962, President Kennedy decided not to attack Cuba.
  • Instead he blockaded the island in what was called a “quarantine zone”.
  • This was to stop more Soviet missiles arriving in Cuba.
  • However, the Soviets ignored blockade.
    • 25th October 1962: USA and USSR are both prepared for an immediate nuclear strike.
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27th October

  • 27th October: Cuba is ready for an invasion by the United States.
  • The USSR agrees to remove missiles from Cuba if the USA removes its warheads from Italy and Turkey.
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27th October cont.

  • On the same day, a US spy plane is shot down over Cuba.
  • This leads to calls in America for retaliation.
  • Robert Kennedy reaches a deal with the USSR:
    • The US withdraws some warheads (from Europe) in secret.
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The end of the crisis

  • 28th October: In a public broadcast, Khrushchev (leader of the USSR) agrees to withdraw Soviet missiles from Cuba.
  • Soviet ships never crossed the blockade and war was avoided.

Jump to other topics

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.4King John

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.6The Black Death

2Worldviews

3The Empire of Mali

4The Renaissance & Reformations, 1500-1598 AD

5The British Empire, 1583-1960 AD

6The Peasants' Revolt

7Religion in the Middle Ages

8Slavery, 1619-1833 AD

9The English Civil War, 1642-1660

10The Industrial Revolution, 1750-1840

11US Independence, 1775-1783

12The French Revolution, 1789-1815

13The British Empire, 1857–1930

14Suffrage

15World War 1, 1914-1918

16The Inter-War Years, 1919-1939

17World War 2, 1939-1945

18The Cold War, 1947-1962

19Civil Rights in the USA, 1954-1975

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