Dawn of the Nuclear Age

1961Chronology of First Four Nations With Nuclear

WeaponsDate Nation Bomb Place of

Detonation1945, 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

2012

The GeographyFlorid

a

Cuba

90 Miles

Cuban Revolution*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

Bay of Pigs Invasion*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.

Players: The Communists

Nikita Khrushchev Soviet Premiere

Fidel CastroPremiere of Cuba

Andrei GromykoSoviet Minister of

Foreign Affairs

Anatoly Dobrynin Ambassador to U.S.

Raul CastroMilitary Deputy

Players: The U.S.

Robert KennedyAttorney General

John F. KennedyU.S. President

Dean RuskSecretary of State

Robert McNamaraSecretary of Defense

Players: Ambassadors to the U.N.

Valerian ZorinSoviet Ambassador to the

U.N.

Adlai StevensonU.S. Ambassador to the U.N.

Machines of War

SS-5 "Skean" 1,242 Miles

U.S. DestroyerUSAF U2 Spy Plane

SS-4 “Sandal" 621 Miles

Luna (Frog) 45 Miles

Soviet Decision*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?

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.

The Situation in 1960

Moscow

The Situation in 1961

October 14, 1962*U.S. U2 spy plane took photos of suspected U.S.S.R. missile sites in Cuba.

U2 Photographs of Missile Sites

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

U2 Photographs of Missile Sites

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

U2 Photographs of Missile Sites

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

October 15, 1962*The presence of missiles is confirmed by analysts.

*Experts believed that most of the missile sites were two weeks from becoming operational.

CIA Map

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.

October 16, 1962*President Kennedy was notified.

*For the next 5 days, U.S. officials secretly considered all of their options.

EXCOMM Meeting

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

Option #1Do 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.

Option #2Negotiate

*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.

Option #3Blockade (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.

Option #4

*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

Option #5Invasion 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.

Option #6Nuclear Weapons

*Use nuclear weapons against Cuba and the Soviet Union.

October 22, 1962*On television, President Kennedy informed the nation of the situation.

*Kennedy ordered a naval quarantine of Cuba.

*Kennedy demanded that Khrushchev remove the missiles.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

October 24, 1962*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.

Photo of a Soviet Ship

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

October 25, 1962*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.

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

U2 Photographs of Missile Sites

October 26, 1962*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.

Khrushchev's Second Letter“…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 KennedyOctober 26, 1962

October 27, 1962*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.

Khrushchev's Third Letter“…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 KennedyOctober 28, 1962

October 28, 1962*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.

October 28, 1962*Khrushchev agreed to dismantle the missiles in Cuba.

Outcomes of the Crisis

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.

Outcomes of the Crisis3. 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.

Outcomes of the Crisis

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.

7. A Cold War Thaw:*Both sides knew that there must be co-existence between the two nations because the alternatives were unthinkable.

Outcomes of the Crisis

8. Cuba Remains a Communist Nation:*The U.S. still has a trade-embargo and no political relations with the Cuban government.

U.S. President John F. Kennedy

U.S Attorney General

Robert F. Kennedy

JFK Political Advisor

Kenny O’Donnell

U.S. Sec. of DefenseRobert

McNamara