The Cuban Missile Crisis was one of the tensest moments in the World’s history. Over the course of 13 days in October 1962 the World came closer than it had ever been to destruction. Today this class is going to be confronted with the same decisions as Kennedy and Khrushchev faced. Rules 1. You will be divided into two groups. One representing America and the Other representing the USSR. You will be faced with a dilemma and have two minutes to discuss it. You will then take a vote and the consequences of your actions will be seen. You will be awarded points depending on the wisdom of your decision. 2. YOU CANNOT REWRITE HISTORY. If you take a decision which differs from what really happened the game will alert you to this and then will either allow you to try again or continue as though the real decision had been taken.
Transcript
The Cuban Missile Crisis was one of the tensest moments in the World’s history. Over the course of 13 days in October 1962 the World came closer than it had ever been to destruction. Today this class is going to be confronted with the same decisions as Kennedy and Khrushchev faced.
Rules
1. You will be divided into two groups. One representing America and the Other representing the USSR. You will be faced with a dilemma and have two minutes to discuss it. You will then take a vote and the consequences of your actions will be seen. You will be awarded points depending on the wisdom of your decision.
2. YOU CANNOT REWRITE HISTORY. If you take a decision which differs from what really happened the game will alert you to this and then will either allow you to try again or continue as though the real decision had been taken.
Mr President,
1. The USA is a leading member of NATO and as such we have promised mutual defence with our European Partners.
2. All the members of NATO know that only the USA has the power to stop the USSR and look to you for leadership. If you appear weak your NATO allies may lose faith in you and make independent deals with the USSR.
3. The previous President, Eisenhower, has negotiated a deal to put US Nuclear missiles in Turkey on the USSR border. Turkey is happy to have the missiles, but since you are now president the order needs your go-ahead.
BUT BE AWARE
1. The missiles will be seen as an aggressive action by the USSR. Their main cities could be reached by these missiles. They are unlikely to attack the missile bases, but will plan revenge in some form.
Secretary of State Robert McNamara
The decision is yours….
PLACE MISSILES ON TURKEY
This will show the USSR that you mean business. It will also show the rest of NATO that you are
serious about fighting the Cold War. It may make the USSR
seek revenge.
DO NOT PLACE MISSILES ON TURKEY
This will reduce Global Tension, but it may make NATO think you’re weak.European countries mayTurn their backs on your
Leadership.
Missiles placed on Turkey
2 Points
This was the actual decision taken by Kennedy in April 1962. The USSR does not dare to attack the missile sites knowing that leaving just one
intact would mean the end of the USSR. Most important of all you appear strong to your enemies and allies alike
Click here for the USSR’s response
Missiles not placed on Turkey
0 Points
This is not a disastrous decision in the short term, but it does make you allies in Europe question how serious you are about defending them.
In short, you may have stored up problems for the future.
Click here for the actual choice and consequences
Andrei Gromyko,Soviet Foreign Minister
Comrade First Secretary,
1. The American Missiles are a major threat and an insult to our country.
2. A Communist Government has taken power on the island of Cuba – this is only 90 miles from America.
3. The USA has already tried to destroy this government once, but its invasion failed. The US are practising again for another invasion.
4. If we can place our missiles on Cuba this will stop the Americans from invading them. It will also allow us to threaten the Americans and balance the threat of their missiles in Turkey.
BUT BEAR IN MIND
The Americans will be furious about this. If they find out about our plan before the missiles are installed we will have to back down and you will be seen as a failure. If it works, though, you will be hailed as a hero throughout the Communist world and the USA will not dare to use their missile in Turkey.
BUILD MISSILES ON CUBA
This will mean smuggling Missiles and troops inOrdinary cargo ships
Over a period of months
CONTINUE TO SUPPORT CUBA WITH
CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS AND MONEY
This will not be enough to stop the US invading
Cuba and the US bases will still
threaten us in Turkey.
The decision is yours….
Missiles sent to Cuba
2 Points
This was the actual decision taken by Khrushchev in May 1962. This is a very high risk strategy but it catches the USA totally by surprise. By the middle of October when the US final realise what’s going on, many of these weapons bases are operational and there are 43, 000 Soviet
military personnel in Cuba.
Click here for the USA’s response
Continue to support Cuba without Nuclear weapons
-1 Points
By not putting weapons on Cuba you are seen as the second best superpower in the world. Kennedy was actually not all that keen on
another invasion and so Communist Cuba would probably have survived.
Kennedy had no plans to remove missiles from Turkey and by not putting missiles on Cuba you’re not doing much to change his mind.
Click here for the actual choice and consequences
Mr President,
1. This is a grave crisis. Photographs from our spy planes show for certain that there are Soviet Nuclear missiles and launch facilities on Cuba. This means that every city in the USA (except Seattle) is in range.
2. We think – but cannot be sure – that these bases are not quite complete. If this is true the missiles cannot be launched.
3. Soviet ships with more missiles are heading for Cuba.
4. Many military advisers urge you to bomb these bases.
5. We haven’t yet tried talking to the USSR about the situation.
BUT BE AWARE
1. Soviet forces on the island will fight US attacks. This could trigger nuclear war. If the bases are operational the USSR is certain to launch a devastating nuclear assault if you try to attack. Even if one site survives milions of Americans will die.
Secretary of State Robert McNamara
The decision is yours….
BOMB THE BASES ON CUBA HOPING THEY ARE NOT YET COMPLETE. At worst there will be nuclear war, at best the USA looks like a bully
for attacking a small island.
INVADE CUBA WITH US TROOPS. Same dangers as above, but more likely to lead to nuclear war.
TALK TO THE USSR TO SEE IF NEGOTIATIONS CAN SOLVE THE CRISIS. This is safer, but you may just be giving the USSR the time they
need to complete their bases.
PLACE A RING OF SHIPS AROUND CUBA STOPPING ANY BOATS FROM RINGING MILITARY SUPPLIES. This is not as dangerous as a or b, but it is illegal under international law. What if the Soviet boats refuse to stop for your
illegal embargo. Will you sink them? What will happen if you do?
Bomb hoping the bases aren’t finished
GAME OVER
If this would have happened the USA would have been seen as the aggressor in the eyes of the world and the attack would have seemed unprovoked. If Kennedy had taken this decision it would have been
almost impossible to avoid nuclear war.
Click here to make a better decision. (An opportunity Kennedy never had)
Invade Cuba with US Troops
GAME OVER
There is no doubt that an attack by America on Soviet troops like this would have triggered Nuclear War between the USSR and the USA. Soviet troops had small nuclear missiles on the invasion beaches and had
permission from Khrushchev to use them if the USA attacked.
Click here to make a better decision. (An opportunity Kennedy never had)
Negotiate a solution to the Crisis
0 Points
This might have worked, but it would have encouraged Khrushchev to take a harder line later on as it would have made Kennedy seem weak. If
Kennedy had done this it is unlikely that the Soviet missiles would ever have been moved from Cuba.
Click here for the actual choice and consequences
Stop Soviet Ships getting to Cuba
2 Points
This is the decision Kennedy took. He cleverly called it a “quarantine” rather than “Blockade” or “embargo” so it would sound less aggressive. Many of Kennedy’s advisers thought that Kennedy had gone soft, but in
fact he had put the ball back into Khrushchev's court. It would be Khrushchev who had to decide whether to order the ships to go through
the blockade – hence it would be Khrushchev who would look aggressive.
Click here for the USSR’s response
Andrei Gromyko,Soviet Foreign Minister
Comrade First Secretary,
1. President Kennedy has found out about our missiles on Cuba and yesterday went on television to the whole world. Our bases are not quite complete and we have several ships headed for Cuba with nuclear weapons on board.
2. Alongside those ships are nuclear submarines which you have given orders to fire at any US ship which tries to stop a Soviet ship. We have got small nuclear missiles guarding the invasion beaches on Cuba.
On TV Kennedy said:
1. That he would stop any ship carrying weapons to Cuba.
2. That he would invade Cuba if the missiles were not dismantled soon.
3. That the use of any of the nuclear weapons on Cuba would trigger A FULL SCALE NUCLEAR RESPONSE by the USA against the USSR
TELL THE SHIPS TO PRESS ON AND ORDER RESISTANCE AGAINSTANY AMERICAN ATTEMPT TO BOARD THEM. We have the force toResist, but this is a dangerous option as it will trigger a major sea battle.
It will convince Kennedy that he has no choice but to invade Cuba.
The decision is yours….
ORDER THE SHIPS TO STOP IN THE WATER AND PROPOSE ADEAL. This will show that we are not determined to go to war, but we are
Firm nonetheless.
TURN THE SHIPS BACK. This will make us look very weak and make the decision foolish to have built bases on Cuba in the first place look foolish.
Kennedy may well think that we are even too weak to defend Cuba properly and may propose an Invasion.
Ships push on and resist blockade
GAME OVER
The US navy would not have let a ship push past. They would have fired on it and – if they had – Soviet subs would have used nuclear
torpedoes since their captains had permission to do so.
Click here to make a better decision. (An opportunity Khrushchev never had)
Ships stop and propose a deal
2 Points
This was Khrushchev’s actual decision. It avoids war, but you have given Kennedy nothing. Construction of your bases continues and enough missiles are already on Cuba to make your bases effective enough.
Click here for the USA’s response
-1 Points
If Khrushchev had doe this then he would never have been taken seriously as a world leader again. He would have been ridiculed in the USSR
and lost his job. The USA would look to the world like the only superpower.
Turn the ships back
Click here for the actual choice and consequences
Mr President,
We have received not one, but two, offers of a deal from Khrushchev. What is he playing at?
Secretary of State Robert McNamara
26.10.62Dear President Kennedy,
So long as you promise in front of the whole world never to attack Cuba, we will remove our bases.
Yours, N. Khrushchev.
Before we had a chance to even think about this offer – let alone reply – we had another telegram proposing a tougher deal. We don’t think Khrushchev is totally in control.
27.10.62Dear President Kennedy,
We will remove the Cuban weapons if you promise never to invade Cuba AND you publicly agree to remove the weapons
you have pointed at us from Turkey.Yours, N. Khrushchev.
NEWSFLASH
One the same day that Khrushchev made his second, tougher offer, an American spy-plane was shot down over Cuba with a non-nuclear missile.
Its pilot was killed and the US Air Force is demanding that Kennedy attacks the rocket site
now in revenge.
The decision is yours….
LOSE PATIENCE WITH KHRUSCHEV AND
BOMB THE BASE THAT SHOT DOWN THE PLANE
This would be understandable.How can a leader offer two
Deals and then shoot at us?It would mean war, but maybe
Khrushchev wants that ormaybe the rocket wasn’t
Fired on orders from Moscow.
IGNORE THE PLANE FORTONIGHT AND RESPOND
ONLY TO KHRUSHCHEV’SBETTER OFFER.
You can’t agree publicly to Remove the missiles in Turkey, but you Can send your brother
Bobby at a later date to negotiate This in secret. You can always
Bomb later if this strategy doesn’t work. As long as the
missiles aren’t complete, this is.
Most advisers are telling you to get tough with a country that’s killed one of your pilots.
Bomb one rocket base in revenge
0 Points
This may start a war, but if you only hit the site that shot down the pilot it may not. T won’t get you anywhere though. The key decision still is do
you make a deal or do you attack Cuba?
Click here for the actual choice and consequences
Respond to Khrushchev’s better offer
2 Points
This is what Kennedy actually did. Kennedy responded publicly to the earlier deal and offered not to invade Cuba if the missiles were
removed. He sent his brother in secret to talk to the Soviet ambassador.
Click here for USSR’s response
Andrei Gromyko,Soviet Foreign Minister
Comrade First Secretary,
That was a close one. Why on earth did our rocket battery shoot down the US plane without orders?!
• This crisis is becoming very dangerous and we know that the US in ready to invade Cuba.
• We are too far away to stop any invasion of Cuba. The small nuclear weapons that we have on Cuba are big enough to provoke nuclear war.
• It really looks like we have to cut a deal as any war would cause casualties on an unthinkable scale.
BUT BEAR IN MIND
• It does seem possible that the Americans will give us all we want. He has publicly promised not to invade Cuba and we have a secret promise that the weapons in Turkey will be removed as long as we agree never to tell anyone about it.
The decision is yours….
AGREE TO KENNEDY’S DEAL
A public promise never toinvade Cuba and a secret Deal to have the weaponsRemoved from Turkey inReturn for agreeing to
Dismantle our weapons inCuba.
CARRY ON BUILDING BASES ON CUBA
Hope that Kennedy is bluffing about invading Cuba.
This might just allow you to keep your bases on Cuba.
It’s a BIG risk for a big return.
Carry on building bases
GAME OVER
It is certain that Kennedy would have attacked Cuba on Monday 29th October first with bombing and then with a ground invasion. Soviet and Cuban troops would have used small nuclear weapons in defence and
the USA would have launched its nuclear weapons at the USSR
Click here to make a better decision. (An opportunity Khrushchev never had)
Agree to Kennedy’s deal
3 Points
This was Khrushchev’s decision. You’ve got rid of the weapons in Turkey and secured Cuba’s future forever. It’s a shame you can’t boast to the
world about the whole deal, but even the part you can boast about (Cuba’s security) is a major achievement. The US has agreed to let a Communist country exist on its doorstep forever. The only downside is
that it looks as though you’ve backed down.
Debrief
• What were the two sides aims before the crisis started?
• Can either side be said to have “won” the crisis?
• Khrushchev was removed as Soviet leader not long afterwards – can you suggest reasons why?
