Cuban Missile Crisis

3. Chronology of First Four Nations With Nuclear Weapons
Date Nation Bomb Place of Detonation
1945, July 16 U.S.A. Trinity New Mexico.
1949, August 29 U.S.S.R. Joe 1 Kazakhstan
1952, October 3 United Kingdom Hurricane Australia
1960, February 13 France Gerboise Bleue Sahara Desert

6. *Prior to 1959, Cuba is U.S. ally,
home to U.S. businesses and a U.S.
military base (Guantanamo Bay).
*In 1959, Fidel Castro overthrows
Battista (US-backed dictator),
establishing Communist
government.
Fulgencio Batista

7. *In 1961, anti-Castro exiles attempted to overthrow the
Communist government.
*The invasion failed because:
1. it was not a surprise attack.
2. Cuban preparations were
underestimated.
3. there was a lack of anti-
Castro sentiments in Cuba.
4. inadequate equipment.
The capture of Cuban counter-
revolutionaries after the failed invasion at
the Bay of Pigs.

8. Nikita Khrushchev
Soviet Premiere
Fidel Castro
Premiere of Cuba
Andrei Gromyko
Soviet Minister of
Foreign Affairs
Anatoly Dobrynin
Ambassador to U.S.
Raul Castro
Military Deputy

9. Robert Kennedy
Attorney General
John F. Kennedy
U.S. President
Dean Rusk
Secretary of State
Robert McNamara
Secretary of Defense

10. Valerian Zorin
Soviet Ambassador to the U.N.
Adlai Stevenson
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.

11. SS-5 "Skean"
1,242 Miles
U.S. DestroyerUSAF U2 Spy Plane
SS-4 “Sandal"
621 Miles
Luna (Frog)
45 Miles

12. *Khrushchev wanted to Close the
missile gap – U.S.S.R. behind U.S.
in terms of number of missiles
*Missiles were a deterrent to any
potential U.S. attack against the
Soviet Union or Cuba.
*Reciprocity: How would the U.S. feel having missiles
pointing at them, as they have missiles pointed at us?

13. While the U.S. remained out of the reach of
the Soviet’s ballistic missiles, over 100 U.S.-
built missiles were within range of Moscow.
The most threatening missiles were the
Jupiter missiles (like the one pictured above)
placed in Turkey.

15. *U.S. U2 spy plane took photos of suspected U.S.S.R. missile
sites in Cuba.

16. This U2 photograph shows a truck convoy approaching a deployment of Soviet MRBMs missiles near Los Palacios, Cuba

17. This U2 photograph shows Soviet MRBM’s near San Diego De Los Bands. This was the second site to be found.

18. This U2 photograph shows IL-28 bomber crates at San Julian Airfield in Cuba.

19. *The presence of missiles is
confirmed by analysts.
*Experts believed that most
of the missile sites were
two weeks from becoming
operational.

20. Above: This map was produced for President Kennedy’s
team estimating the range of MRBM and ICBMs.
Left: This map was used by the CIA, on October 16, 1962, to
inform President Kennedy on the range of the MRBM.

21. *President Kennedy was
notified.
*For the next 5 days, U.S.
officials secretly considered
all of their options.

22. This photograph, taken on October 29, 1962,
shows the Executive Committee of the National Security Council discussing their options.

23. Do Nothing
*Ignore the missiles in Cuba.
*The U.S. had nuclear
missiles in several countries
close to the Soviet Union.
*Therefore, its only right
that the Soviets should be
able to place their missiles
in Cuba.

24. Negotiate
*The U.S. and the Soviet
Union should exchange ideas
in terms of developing a
deal.
*For example, the Soviets
would withdraw their
missiles from Cuba.
*In return, the U.S. would withdraw their missiles in Turkey.

25. Blockade (Quarantine)
*Prevent the arrival of more
Cuban missiles by using
naval “quarantine.”
*A “blockade” could be
perceived as an act of war.
*If it doesn’t work, then
more could be done.
*The problem: The Soviets would be given additional time.

26. *Bomb and disable the
“known” missile sites.
*The world may see this as
the U.S. using a “sledge-
hammer” to kill a “fly.”
Air Strike

27. Invasion of Cuba
*Send U.S. troops into Cuba
to secure the Soviet missile
sites.
*The Castro regime would be
overthrown.
*The Soviets would be left
with no military bases in
Cuba.

28. Nuclear Weapons
*Use nuclear weapons
against Cuba and the Soviet
Union.

29. *On television, President
Kennedy informed the
nation of the situation.
*Kennedy ordered a naval
quarantine of Cuba.
*Kennedy demanded that
Khrushchev remove the
missiles.

32. *Two Soviet ships, and a submarine, approached the
exclusion zone.
*The Soviet ships stopped and turned around.
The U.S. Destroyer, Joseph P. Kennedy, stops a Soviet vessel, the Marucla, during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

33. This photograph shows a Soviet ship transporting guided missile patrol boats to Cuba.

34. *Ariel photos show that the missile sites are still under
construction.
*At the U.N., Adlai Stevenson
challenges the Soviet
ambassador to admit the
existence of missiles in
Cuba.
*When the ambassador
refuses, Stevenson displays
photos of the missile sites.

35. This low level photograph shows surging readiness and potential missile readiness.

36. *Khrushchev proposed a
deal: if we remove the
missiles from Cuba will the
U.S. promise not to invade
Cuba?
*He also demanded that the
U.S. withdraw their missiles
from Turkey.

37. “…I make this proposal: We agree to remove those weapons
from Cuba which you regard as offensive weapons.”
“The U.S. Government will…declare that the United States
will respect the integrity of the frontiers of Cuba, its
sovereignty, undertakes not to intervene in its domestic
affairs, not to invade…”
“We agree to remove those weapons from Cuba which you
regard as offensive weapons…the United States…will
evacuate its analogous weapons from Turkey.”
Khrushchev to Kennedy
October 26, 1962

38. *While flying over Cuba, a U2
was shot down by a Soviet
SAM.
*Khrushchev again suggested
taking the Soviet missiles
out of Cuba if the U.S.
swore not to invade Cuba.

39. “…The Soviet Government decided to render assistance to
Cuba with means of defense against aggression--only with
the means for defense purposes…We have supplied them to
prevent an attack on Cuba--to prevent rash acts.”
“I regard with respect and trust…that there would be no
attack, no invasion of Cuba…Then the motives which induced
us to render assistance of such a kind to Cuba disappear.”
Khrushchev to Kennedy
October 28, 1962

40. *Ignoring the first proposal,
Kennedy accepted the terms
of Khrushchev's latest offer.
*Robert Kennedy told the
Soviet ambassador that the
missiles in Turkey would not
be part of the deal, but
they would be later
removed.
*Robert Kennedy was told to warn the ambassador that
airstrikes would start in 24 hours.

41. *Khrushchev agreed to dismantle the missiles in Cuba.

42. 2. U.S. Removes Missiles:
*Three months after the
crisis, the U.S. removed
all of its missiles from
Turkey and Italy.
1. Hotline:
*The two sides established a
direct line of communication in
the hopes of preventing a
reoccurrence of a dangerous
confrontation.

43. 3. Prisoners Released:
*In exchange for food,
medicine, and $53 million,
Castro released 1,113
prisoners that were captured
during the Bay of Pigs
Invasion.
4. Test Ban Treaty:
*The two nations agreed to
ban the testing of nuclear
weapons in the
atmosphere.

44. 6. Strain on Soviet Allies:
*China accused the Soviets
of being a “paper-tiger”
and the true leader of the
communist movement.
5. U.S. Resolve:
*The U.S. was convinced that the
Soviets were reluctant to go to
war in the defense of another
communist country. This led to
U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

45. 7. A Cold War Thaw:
*Both sides knew that there
must be co-existence
between the two nations
because the alternatives
were unthinkable.
8. Cuba Remains a
Communist Nation:
*The U.S. still has a trade-
embargo and no political
relations with the Cuban
government.

46. U.S. President
John F. Kennedy
U.S Attorney General
Robert F. Kennedy
JFK Political Advisor
Kenny O’Donnell
U.S. Sec. of Defense
Robert McNamara