The Cuban missile crisis

1. The Cuban missile crisis Mr. Severson

2. Nations involved • U.S.A. • Soviet Union • Turkey • Cuba

3. Overview • October 1962, the Soviet Union placed missiles in Cuba. • U.S. U-2 plane took photographs while flying over Cuba. • Missiles in Cuba had range to reach New York City in 15 minutes.

4. Leaders during Cuban Missile Crisis • John F. Kennedy (U.S.A.) • Nikita Khrushchev (Soviet Union) • Fidel Castro (Cuba)

5. Why Cuba? • Cuba was a communist state under Castro. • The U.S. had tried invading Cuba and overthrowing Castro (Bay of Pigs). • Threat to the U.S.A.

6. What most people do not know • The U.S. did the same thing to the Soviet Union in 1961. • The U.S. placed IRBM (interrange ballistic missiles) in Turkey. • Missiles known as Jupiter’s.

7. What JFK did • Instead of taking military action, President Kennedy ordered a blockade of Cuba. • Nothing in, and nothing out. • Prevented Soviet Union from placing more missiles into Cuba. Action was not forcing Soviets to do anything. • Military action would bring nuclear holocaust

8. Conclusion • The United States and Soviet Union came to an agreement. • Soviet Union would remove missiles, and the U.S. would lift blockade of Cuba. • Eventually, the U.S. removed the Jupiter missiles from Turkey. • Cooler heads prevailed.