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Cuban Missile Cuban Missile Crisis Crisis 13 days in October 13 days in October
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Cuban Missile Cuban Missile CrisisCrisis
13 days in October13 days in October
The Cuban Missile CrisisThe Cuban Missile Crisis
Lesson overviewLesson overview
What was the background to the What was the background to the events in Cuba?events in Cuba?
How successful were early attempts How successful were early attempts at ‘containment’?at ‘containment’?
Why was the USSR interested in Why was the USSR interested in helping Cuba?helping Cuba?
What happened during the October What happened during the October Crisis?Crisis?
What was the outcome of the crisis?What was the outcome of the crisis?
What was the background What was the background to the events in Cuba?to the events in Cuba?
Cuba, small island, Cuba, small island, 160 km from coast of 160 km from coast of FloridaFlorida
US ally, US businesses US ally, US businesses & US military base & US military base (Guantanamo)(Guantanamo)
1959, Fidel Castro 1959, Fidel Castro overthrows Battista overthrows Battista (US-backed dictator), (US-backed dictator), establishing establishing CommunistCommunist government.government.
Why was Cuba so important to the
Americans?
How successful were early How successful were early attempts at ‘containment’?attempts at ‘containment’?
Castro takes over US Castro takes over US businessesbusinesses
January 1961, US breaks January 1961, US breaks off diplomatic relationsoff diplomatic relations
April, 1961, Bay of Pigs – April, 1961, Bay of Pigs – 1,400 anti-Cuban exiles 1,400 anti-Cuban exiles attempted to overthrow attempted to overthrow CastroCastro
Autumn 1962, Cuba has Autumn 1962, Cuba has received 1000s of USSR received 1000s of USSR missiles, jets, boats & missiles, jets, boats & personnelpersonnel
The US committed $100 million to overthrowing Castro, the
CIA tried to sabotage the economy, they even planned to send him an exploding cigar!
Why did they go to such lengths after April 1961?
Why was the USSR Why was the USSR interested in helping Cuba?interested in helping Cuba?
Cuba was a new Communist stateCuba was a new Communist state Cuba provided a launch base for USSR inter-Cuba provided a launch base for USSR inter-
continental missiles (ICMs)continental missiles (ICMs) Khrushchev wanted to test strength of new US Khrushchev wanted to test strength of new US
president, JFKpresident, JFK Khrushchev wanted to force JFK into bargaining Khrushchev wanted to force JFK into bargaining
over US missile in Europeover US missile in Europe
Why does this cartoonist think that Khrushchev was interested in
Cuba?
What happened during the What happened during the October Crisis?October Crisis?
14 October 1962, US U2 spy plane takes 14 October 1962, US U2 spy plane takes photos of suspected USSR missile sites on photos of suspected USSR missile sites on CubaCuba
Sites nearing completion, experts believe they Sites nearing completion, experts believe they could be ready in 7 dayscould be ready in 7 days
US spy planes identify 20 Soviet ships bound US spy planes identify 20 Soviet ships bound for Cuba carrying missilesfor Cuba carrying missiles
Why have some modern
historians questioned
the accuracy of these spy
plane pictures?
Castro’s RoleCastro’s Role No real role in decision No real role in decision
makingmaking Apparently out of touch Apparently out of touch
with the situationwith the situation Oct. 26: “Aggression Oct. 26: “Aggression
imminent/imperialists imminent/imperialists disregarding world disregarding world opinion”—Clearly not the opinion”—Clearly not the casecase
Khrushchev plays along to Khrushchev plays along to some extent but it is clear some extent but it is clear he disagrees with him he disagrees with him (“your suggestion would (“your suggestion would have started a have started a thermonuclear world thermonuclear world war”)war”)
Your taskYour task
President John F Kennedy was faced President John F Kennedy was faced with a number of extremely difficult with a number of extremely difficult decisions that could decide the fate decisions that could decide the fate of the world! With your partner, of the world! With your partner, discuss the option choice with discuss the option choice with regard to advantages and regard to advantages and disadvantages. We will determine disadvantages. We will determine two key options based on your two key options based on your analysis.analysis. Problem-solving
task
One of our U-2 flights over Cuba has One of our U-2 flights over Cuba has revealed what analysts believe to be revealed what analysts believe to be
nuclear missiles. Sir, the missiles look nuclear missiles. Sir, the missiles look to be from the Soviet Union.to be from the Soviet Union.
The Missiles: One SiteThe Missiles: One Site
Aug. Aug. 19621962
Your taskYour task
You are about to find out what You are about to find out what actually happened during the Cuban actually happened during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Examine the timeline Missile Crisis. Examine the timeline in your notes. When was the crisis at in your notes. When was the crisis at its peak?its peak?
It’s time to discuss military options sir. It’s time to discuss military options sir. The Soviets still deny that there are The Soviets still deny that there are
nuclear missiles in Cuba.nuclear missiles in Cuba.
What happened during the What happened during the October Crisis?October Crisis?
20 October, 20 October, Kennedy decides Kennedy decides to blockade Cubato blockade Cuba
22 October, 22 October, Kennedy publicly Kennedy publicly calls on calls on Khrushchev to Khrushchev to remove weaponsremove weapons
What happened during the What happened during the October Crisis?October Crisis?
23 October 23 October Khrushchev refuses Khrushchev refuses to acknowledge to acknowledge blockade or presence blockade or presence of Soviet missiles on of Soviet missiles on CubaCuba
24 October, 124 October, 1stst Soviet Soviet ships (accompanied ships (accompanied by submarine) by submarine) approach 800 km approach 800 km exclusion zoneexclusion zone
What happened during the What happened during the October Crisis?October Crisis?
24 October, 10:32 am, Soviet ships stop and 24 October, 10:32 am, Soviet ships stop and turn roundturn round
25 October, aerial photos show continued 25 October, aerial photos show continued construction of missile sitesconstruction of missile sites
26 October, Kennedy receives another letter 26 October, Kennedy receives another letter offering to negotiate over missiles in Cuba offering to negotiate over missiles in Cuba with removal of blockade and US invasion with removal of blockade and US invasion threatthreat
27 October, Kennedy receives second letter 27 October, Kennedy receives second letter calling for withdrawal of US missiles in calling for withdrawal of US missiles in Turkey tooTurkey too
The American DecisionThe American Decision
In September Kennedy had In September Kennedy had stated and Congress had passed stated and Congress had passed a resolution saying that if the a resolution saying that if the Soviet Union placed offensive Soviet Union placed offensive weapons in Cuba we would not weapons in Cuba we would not tolerate it.tolerate it.
Could we then rely solely on Could we then rely solely on diplomacy? The Kennedys diplomacy? The Kennedys thought the President could be thought the President could be “impeached” if he didn’t act in “impeached” if he didn’t act in accordance with his prior accordance with his prior warningswarnings
Determined in first 48 hours of Determined in first 48 hours of crisis that the removal of missiles crisis that the removal of missiles was the primary objectivewas the primary objective
This objective effectively ruled This objective effectively ruled out isolated diplomacy, and left out isolated diplomacy, and left two options…two options…
What happened during the What happened during the October Crisis?October Crisis?
27 October, US U2 27 October, US U2 plane shot down over plane shot down over Cuba & pilot killed. Cuba & pilot killed. Kennedy decides to Kennedy decides to ignore second letter, ignore second letter, but accepts terms of but accepts terms of 11stst letter letter
28 October, 28 October, Khrushchev agrees Khrushchev agrees to dismantle Soviet to dismantle Soviet missiles in Cubamissiles in Cuba
What is this cartoonist trying to say about the difficulties facing
Kennedy during the Crisis?
What was the outcome of What was the outcome of the crisis?the crisis?
Cuba remained Communist & heavily Cuba remained Communist & heavily armed (without nuclear missiles)armed (without nuclear missiles)
Both leaders didn’t lose face and came Both leaders didn’t lose face and came away with concessionsaway with concessions
Helped renew the thaw – world saw the Helped renew the thaw – world saw the futility of MADfutility of MAD
Permanent hotline between White House Permanent hotline between White House & Kremlin set up& Kremlin set up
Supported theory of containment & co-Supported theory of containment & co-existence because alternatives existence because alternatives unimaginableunimaginable
Your taskYour task
Read sources 21 & 22. What do you Read sources 21 & 22. What do you think of Kennedy’s interpretation of the think of Kennedy’s interpretation of the Cuban situation and of Khrushchev’s Cuban situation and of Khrushchev’s actions?actions?
Read sources 28, 29 and 30. How Read sources 28, 29 and 30. How useful they are to students studying useful they are to students studying the results of the Cuban Missile Crisis?the results of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Who do you think won the missile Who do you think won the missile crisis? Kennedy, Khrushchev or crisis? Kennedy, Khrushchev or neither? Explain your answer.neither? Explain your answer.
Sources
Extension taskExtension task
Write two press releases. Choose Write two press releases. Choose either to produce a short press either to produce a short press release explaining the background, release explaining the background, key events & outcome for the Soviet key events & outcome for the Soviet news agency ‘Pravda’ OR write an news agency ‘Pravda’ OR write an American version of events for the American version of events for the White House spokesman’s speech to White House spokesman’s speech to journalists.journalists.
Congratulations Mr. President, Congratulations Mr. President, Khrushchev is removing the missiles Khrushchev is removing the missiles
from Cuba. We made the right from Cuba. We made the right choices.choices.
