Cuban Missile Crisis Activity

1. Cuban Missile Crisis Activity USA: Clearance 1:Ryan, Clara, Mei, Tim, Emily, Kyrie Clearance 2: Kayla, Chris, Jon, Natalie, Tawny Clearance 3: Tyler, Carlos, Alyssa C, Jade, McKayla Soviet Union Clearance 1:Will, Vai, Ahmed, Taylor, Kevin, Justin Clearance 2: Christian, Alyssa A, Carie, Madison, Clearance 3: Hector, Sophia, Sarah B, Morgan, Sarah

2. Cuban Missile Crisis USA (2) Clearance 1: Peter, Enrique, Lauren, Kayla Clearance 2: Kelsey, Logan, Nicholas Clearance 3: Michael, Matt, Alondra Soviet Union (2) Clearance 1: Issa, Courtney, Maddi Clearance 2: Eric, Blake, Saysha Clearance 3: Mackensey, Dani, Sara M

3. Cuban Missile Crisis Activity USA (1) Clearance 1: Claire, Daryl, Amanda, SerahMB Clearance 2: Ryan, Emily W. Cindy, Clearance 3: Emily N, Jake, Tony Soviet Union (2) Clearance 1: Anthony, Dresden, Madeline, Mitch Clearance 2: Jeffrey, Julia, Garrett Clearance 3: Leland, Catie, Ali W

5. Quick Write: • You are one of the passengers on the boat and you are holding the other boat’s detonator. • What is your decision? • What were the key factors that influenced your choice? (Time? Fear? Morals? Self-preservation?) • Please explain your choice and rank your top three influences. Be prepared to share your responses with the class.

6. The Cuban Missile Crisis

8. What is the Cuban Missile Crisis • Was a 13-day confrontation between the Soviet Union and Cuba on one side, and the United States on the other, in October 1962. • It was the closest the Cold War came to turning into a nuclear conflict. • The threat of mutual assured destruction (MAD) being discussed as a determining factor in a major international arms agreement

9. The SU places missiles in Cuba • In May 1962 Nikita Khrushchevplaced Soviet nuclear missiles on Cuba to deter any future invasion of Cuba or assassination attempt of Cuban leader Fidel Castro. • Also, meant to equalize the advantage of the United States having missiles in Turkey and Italy.

11. Scenario 1: • On 14 October, a US U-2 aircraft took several pictures clearly showing sites for medium-range and intermediate-range ballistic nuclear missiles (MRBMs and IRBMs) under construction. • These images were processed and presented to President John Kennedy on October 15

15. Kennedy briefed of SU missiles •  At 6:30 pm EDT, Kennedy convened a meeting of the nine members of the National Security Council and five other key advisors • Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM)

16. Bobby Kennedy John F. Kennedy

17. Kennedy considered 3 options • Invade Cuba by land • Attack Cuban via plane • Give them an ultimatum to remove their weapons or else face possible military action by the United States. You decide for yourselves

18. Advisors wanted to attack • The Joint Chiefs of Staff unanimously agreed that a full-scale attack and invasion was the only solution. They believed that the Soviets would not attempt to stop the US from conquering Cuba. • Kennedy was skeptical. • “They, no more than we, can let these things go by without doing something. They can't, after all their statements, permit us to take out their missiles, kill a lot of Russians, and then do nothing. If they don't take action in Cuba, they certainly will in Berlin.” - Kennedy

19. Kennedy’s Response • Kennedy ordered an ultimatum to remove all “offensive weapons”

20. Soviet’s Response • Nikita Khruschev receives at ultimatum. • Soviet Union can: • Send reinforcements to prepare for War • Continue on with their plans to set up missiles. • Claim that they are “defensive missiles” and not intended to be a threat to United States You decide

21. Soviet Union’s Response • Khrushcev and the Soviet minister of foreign affairs Andrei Gromyko to the United States make the claim that the missiles are only their for “defensive” purposes.

22. President Kennedy meets with Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko in the Oval Office. The President knows but does not reveal that he is now aware of the missile build-up. • October 18th 1962

23. Scenario 2 • So the Soviet Union has decided to not listen to your ultimatum. • In fact later satellites would confirm that now 4 sites appear to be nearly “operational.”

24. Scenario 2: What do you do? • Launch military action against Cuba • Create a blockade against Cuba to prevent further Soviet contact with the Soviets • Attempt to assassinate Fidel Castro to harm the relationship between the Soviets and the Cubans. You decide.

25. Kennedy’s Response • Kennedy concluded that attacking Cuba by air would signal the Soviets to presume "a clear line" to conquer Berlin. • Kennedy also believed that United States' allies would think of the US as "trigger-happy cowboys" who lost Berlin because they could not peacefully resolve the Cuban situation

26. USA deployed a Quarantine • The United States considered attacking Cuba via air and sea, but decided on a military blockade instead, calling it a "quarantine" for legal and other reasons. • The US announced that it would not permit offensive weapons to be delivered to Cuba, demanded that the Soviets dismantle the missile bases already under construction or completed, and return all offensive weapons to the USSR. • TheKennedy administration held only a slim hope that the Kremlin would agree to their demands, and expected a military confrontation.

27. Scenario 2: Soviet Union • If you were Nikita Khrushcev, how would you have handled the quarantine? • Try to sneak by the quarantine with a few ships • Follow the quarantine • Ignore the quarantine

28. What happened • Premier Nikita Khrushchev wrote in a letter from October 24, 1962, to President John F. Kennedy that his blockadeof "navigation in international waters and air space" constituted "an act of aggression propelling human kind into the abyss of a world nuclear-missile war". • However, in secret back-channel communications the President and Premier initiated a proposal to resolve the crisis.

29. …while this is going on • The Soviet’s attempted to run the blockade and send ships to Cuba.

31. Scenario 3: USA • So there is a Soviet ship that entering the quarantined zone. The Soviet ship is getting nearer…what do you do? • Fire missiles at the ships and Cuba • Fire warning shots to attempt to get the ships to turn back • Allow the Soviet ships to continue

33. Kennedy and USA’s response • Kennedy has his US ships fire warning shots at the oncoming ships.

34. Scenario 3: Soviet Union • Your ships have just been fired upon. What do you do? • Fire your missiles at the United States • Turn your ships around • Send message to the US for more negotiations

35. Negotiations between the powers • Khruschev sends a message stating that the Soviet Union will dismantle the Cuban Missile Sites ONLY if the U.S. dismantles the Jupiter missiles in Turkey and does not invade Cuba. • Agree to the to Soviet’s demands without further negotiations • Ask to meet secretly to discuss the actions further • Attack the Soviets and Cuba for violating the quarantine

36. What resulted • Public victory for the United States. • Agreed that it would not attack Cuba so long as the missiles were removed. • Secretly they also agreed to remove their weapons from Turkey & Italy • Loss for the Soviets: • It appeared publicly that they had given in to the demand of the US • Victory for Cuba and Fidel Castro

37. Results • The tense negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union, during which the use of nuclear weapons was not ruled out, pointed out the necessity of a quick, clear and direct communication between Washington and Moscow. • As a result, a direct telephone link between the leaders of the two countries was established.