304 OCTOBE~, 1961-MAY, 1962

OCTOBER 2, 1961 - A joint Commllnls~ Chinest'·Cubnn corn. muni(]ue proelnimcd complete <l!-;rn<me:lt on "the curront ill_

t"r";ltiOilul ,itua!iOI\ and the qucotioll (If further develoPing frielloship and (.1Joperatiull."

DECE\1BElI 2, 1961 - Prime Minister Fidrl C<!,tro stated ~] believe ahsolutely in r-.'lan:islll. . I am a 1brxist-Leninist and will be a Mar:dst-LC'J~illjst l\lIlii the last dny of my liFI'_"

DECE:\1!3EH 6, 19B1 - Thf, United States suhmitteu .1 document to the Inter-Americ,l~ Pen.ce COTnmittu' entitled '·The Castro Regimr ill Cuba" with inform<ltion H'lating tr) Cuba's tics to the Sjm,-Soviet hiDe nou lIef threat to hemispheric seem:tv.

DECEMBER 20, 1961 - Cuba votEd with the Sovit'l blue OIl

thirt,..-lltree <Jut of thirty-seven major is.lues l\efore the SixteentlJ Session of the tfnited !'\u!ions Gener;ll Assemh1r.

lA\UARY [4, 1862 - The Inter-Alll"'!ic"n Peclce Committee !"e.

- portcd that Cuba's connections ~vith the Sino-Soviet bloc were iliCOmpatlble with the i:Jter-.'\mericHn treaties, principle, and sbnd:".rl~.

lA:\IU:\HY 22'31, ]962 - 111e Pnnta del Este Conference of the Orgallization uf All'eric<ln Sl<lles Wl)S held in Ur1lg',ay. Cuba "'as excluded from PiHtieipatioll ill tile OAS and seve,raJ actions were tllken to coullteraet CUb"ll activities in th", \\·f'stp.m Herni;;phere. (HeEer to Appendix E, F, for texts of sccond and sixth resolutions.)

FEHHUARY 3, 1902 - l'rc~jdcot Kenneely ,ledared an embargo on all trade with Gubi! except medic;!l Ilel'essities. (Refer to AppendiX G for text.)

FEllnUAHY 20, 1962 - Wall W, Rllstow, CounSElor of the Dcpartment of State, exprcs,ed the hJpe to the Nurth Atlantic Cuulloil Ihat /\jATO membns wonld take the Pw',ta del Este c1ed~iolls intu account in forlT1ubting their ;Jolicies t()w~rd Cllha.

MAHCH ::::4, 1962 - The United Stn.tes exelnded the impm·tlltion (l[ mrr<'h.mdi.<;e made ill whole o~ in pont Irom Cuban products.

MARCH 27, 1962 - The Uni:cd Statel e~timnted that tile Sino­Suyiet bl'lc had ftlrni~hed Cuua with auotlt S100 million worth of n:ilitury equipment J.nd lechllkal ,<en/kes.

APRIL 8, 1962 - The Cnbiln exil"s W!lO touk pal'! in the Bay uf Pig~ invasion of Apdl 1961 WHr ~~ntcn('ed to prison suhjeet to ransulT1 totJ.lling :i;62 million.

\1A1' 1, 1962 - The OAS Special Comnlt~tive C()!lJlIJillec on Secnrity submittp,] its initial report on Comll,unis~ al'tivities in the Westem Hemisphere.

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER, 1962 305

.uGUST 19, 1962 - Premier Fidel Castro informed Cuban peasants that tlleir farms would be taken over by the govern­mellt and that the entin. r:nhan al/;riculhlral economy would be based on collectives and rooperatives known as "Btate farms." ThiS was thought to be a ma.jor economic and ideological mile­stone.

.UGUST 24, 1962 - U.S. officials di~dosed that ti'e flow of Soviet lu;hta.T)· equipment and technical personnel w.as illCreas- _ ing. It wns estimated that twenty eargo ships and an unspecifitu .~ number of pa.ssengcr ships had :lrrived in Cnba since large-scale deljveries were resumed late in July, The nnmber of technidans was estimated at 3,000 to 5,000 and the material was Ihought to include constrnction eqnipment, commnnications vans, racial vans, trucks and mobile generator nnits whieh appeared to be going to coastal defenses.

rACGUST 28, 1982 - The Soviet Union disclosed that the volume 01 maritime shipml;wts 10 Cuba in 1962 wm\ld be donble the volume in 1961.

AUGUST 29, 1962 - Premier Fidel Castro placed tight cvntrols on the wagtJ~ of Cuban worker~, imposed penalties for absentee­ism and authurized a reduetion in vacations in an dl:ort to ill ­crease production.

AUGUST :jJ. 1962 -'\ United States Navy plane was fired npou by two naval vesseh, which were beheved to be CuLan, olf Cnha.

ISEPTEMBER 1, 1962 _ Senator Kenneth Keating of New York reported Ihat there are about 1,2UO nniformtu. Soviel troops in Cubll; the u.s, Cnvemment denied haVing any such data, and sald that the- U.S.S.R. continued tu ship defense lllilltriel. It was also reported that the Kennedy administration would at­tempt to t'Urb We~tem shipping to Cnba.

SEPTEMBER 2, 1962 - The Soviet Union annoullceu. that it h;lS agreed to :oupp1y arms and technical specialists 10 Cuba to train forces tu meet threats from "aggressive imperialist qnarters."

TIlt: Kennedy .'l.dmirnstr;ltion denied that there was anything new in Soviet-Cuban relations.

Senator KeatiJlg attacked the "do nolhin,ll:" policy of the Kennedy administration toward Cuba, and snggestcd that the OAS send a mi~sion to Cl\ba tn ~tl]Jv conditions aud determine if there are any Soviet missile bases being established there.

SEPTEMBER 3, 1962 - The Soviet-Olban military and technical assistance agreem(lnt was Widely acclaimed in the Cuban press. The Soviet technicians were reportedly training the C\lban

SEPTEMBER, 1962306

troops in the use of old radar equipment. Diplomatic SOUree$ reported that there was no reliable evidenee that rocket launch. ing pads had been Installed.

SEPTEMBER 4, 1962 ~ President Kennedy released a statement which discussed the Soviet military equipment in Cuba and denied that it had any offensive military capability. The Presi.

-=~ dent also pledged that the United Stllies would use "whatever means may be necessary" to prevent aggression from Cuba in the \Vestem Hemisphere. (Refer to Document 1 for text.)

Senator Keating demanded that the United States urge its allies to stop letting the U.S.S.R. use their ships for the transport of military equipment to Cuba.

SEPTEMBER 5, 1962 ~ Seeretary of State Dean Rusk informed nineteffi Latin American amhassadors that the United States would work to prevent the spread of commuoism from Cuba into the Western Hemisphere. Senator :\1ike Mansfield expressed the hope that Ihe Republieans wonld keep the Cubau issne out of the politieal campaign.

SEPTEMBER 6, 1962 - The Sovict military personnel stationed in Cubil were reported to be organized into their own units either operating separately or in conjunction with the Cuban forces. H was also reported that there were about 4,000 Soviet troops stationed in Cuba.

SEPTEMBER 7. 1962 - Senator Everett McKinley Dirksen and Representative Charles A. Halleck, the Repnhliean Minority Leaders of Congress, issued separate statements urging a stronger U.S. poliey toward Cuba. (Refer to Documents 2 and 3 for texts.) Both Congressional leaders also proposed a joint resolution giVing the President authority to nse troops, if neces­sary, to defeat communism in Cuba.

President Keonedy requested anthorization from Congress to call np 150,000 reserves for a limited period. (Refer to Docn­ment 4 for text.) Thc President maintained that this standby anthority to eall up the reserves was reqnired more by the Berlin sitnation than the Cuban situation,

SEPTEMBER 8, 1962 - Cnban exile leaders in the United States urged the Kennedy administration to permit and give support to the resnmption of large scale subversive activities to try and topple the regime of Premier Fidel Caslro.

Upon returning fmm a visit with Soviet Premier Nikit~ Khrushchev, poet Robert Frost held a news eonferent'e in New York and reported that Khrushchev told him the U.S. was "too liberal to fight" in defense of its own interests.

SEPTEMBER, 1962 307

EPTEMBER 11, 1962 - The Soviet Union warned that any at­tack by the United States on Cuba or npon Soviet ships bonnd for Cuba would mean war, and implied that it would be J)

nnclear rocket war. (Refer to Doeument 5 for text.) The Kennedy administration and Congress seemed nnimpressed by the Soviet warning that an attaek on Cuba could mean nuclear war.

Premier Fidel Castro declared that Congressional demands for energetic United States aetion against Cnba were proof of the "ehuos" in the United States which is "playing with fire and with wat."

SEPTEMBER 13, 1962 - President Kennedy stated that the United Siaies would move quiekly against Cnba to defend its secnrity if necessary, bnt that at the present time military aetion is neither needed nor justilled. (Refer to Document 6 for, fext.)

SEPTEMBER 14, 1962 - The Soviet Government accepted, with reservations, President Kennedy's declaration that United States military intervention in Cuba was not reqnired or jnstifiable at the present time.

Seuator Barry Goldwater of Arizona charged that President Kennedy's policy statement of September 13th "virtnally prom­ised the Communist world that the United States will take no action to remove the threat of Soviet armed might in the West­ern Hemisphere.'·

SEPTEMBER 16, 1962 - Senator Barry Goldwater attacked the Kennedy administration "do nothing poliey" in regard to Cnba and maintained that Kennedy virtually promised the eom, munists a free hand in Cnba.

The United States failed tu get ih allies to eurb shipments to Cnba.

Columnist James Reston assailed the bloekade snggestions of Senators Goldwater, Thnrmond and Tower as irresponsible and said that they fail to show that a blockade is an .let of war under international law.

Chester Bowles, speeial adviser on Afriean and Asian affairs, sharply criticized that "hot-blooded, hot-headed minority of Amerieans" who believe that "life is based on power and that in the lise of power everything goes,"

SEPTEMBER 17, 1962 - Senators Hugh Scott and Kenneth Keat­ing urged some form of economic and military hloekade to sereen out the military build-np in Cuba. Senator Jaeob Javits also orged President Kennedy to demand that the Soviet Union stop extending military assistanee to Cuba, and if the Soviet Union refnsed, to take whatever action is necessary.

309SEPTEMRER, J962

,PTEMBER 23, 1962 - Dr. Gilberta Arias, Fin,ulct' Minister of P,IIlama, proposed the establishment of a "NATO-type military llJ)jance for defensive as well fl5 offensive purpos('B, if snch need arises." This would consist of the ten Central American alld Caribbean nations presently exposeu to communist suhvPl"sioll and possihle aggressiou from Cnba.

Secretary of State Dean TIn:;!' and British FflrPign Secretilry Lord Home discussed toe questiou of British reluctanee to place a striltegie goods l;Hnbargo ou tr:lde with Cuba. :\10 resolntion of the diHereflces of opinion all this point was reported.

:EPTEMBER 24, 1962 - Seeretary of State DeclO Rusk reqnested of ::"lorwegian Foreign Minister Halvard M. L~llige that Norway cease carryinA strute~ic gU()U~ !rom the Soviet Unioo to Cuba. The [tali'ln and West Cennan goveruments were rep.:7fled to be more cooperative III tIle United Slate~ eHart to i;olate Cub~.

Senalor Hubert Hnmphrey denied loat the Kennedy admiu­istratloll had "set limits" on the Mon:oe Doctrine,

ISEPTE\1BER 25, 1962 - Premier Fidel Custro of Cuba announced the ~igning of a fishing treaty with the Soviet Union and the proposed construction of J joj~t Cuban-Soviet fishing porI to be built on the nurth shore of Cub;).

SEPfEMBER 26, 1982 - The House of Represcntatives passed the joiut resolution on Cuba uy a vote of JS4 to 7. The only question in tbe deba.te on the bill was whether the resolution as ndopted by the Sellate was worded strongly enough. (Refer to Document 7 for text.)

Secretary of State Dean Rusk informally diseussed the possible crea.tion of a Caribbean mihta.ry o:gunilatfol\ to guard again.n Cuban aggression with other foreign ministers from Latin America.

SEPTf:';~.mER 27, 1982 - At the n"quest of the Turkish govehl­ment, Tmkish shipowners terminated all cargo movements to Cuba iu their vessels. The United States was reported to have made finn reprc5eututions on this point with Turkey and other NATO counuie.s with rnen::hunt Heets.

The Soviet newspaper lzvntia ridicfI}ed suggestions ill the United 5'l-ales th,1t the proposed Cnban-Soviet fishing port would be used for military purposeS.

SEPTEMBER 28, 1962 _ Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev an­nounced in Yugo~lavia on a visit with President Tito that an uttack on CUhfl hy the United States wonld mean war with the Soviet Union.

S.EPTEMBER 29, 1062 - The Pnnsh FQrei!'(n Minister R>lpacki attacked the United States positioll ill relation to Cnha ill the Geucral Assembly of the United Nations.

SEPTEMBER, 1962

Secretary of Stilte Dean Rusk conferred for more than four uC Seu'lte Foreign Relations and Armed

Forces C'.ommilte.u ou the developing situation in Cubn and th pellJiug Seuate resolutions on Cuha. e

The view of the Kennedy admiuistratiou was that the SOViet arms dolivories to Cuba were essentially defensive in charaeter. however, several Senators publicly disagreed with this position'

resolution eX[Jre~sing thtl sens~ of Congress on Cuba would be heJpful.

Former Vice President R(ch>ltd M "quarantine" of Cuba to halt the flow of

President Kenuedy tn tnkr "UTOI1!JE!I:'

pledged his "unqualified snpport" to ~ COllr.'ir. Mr. Nixon SUl'!gested that

a naY'll blockade of the island 1md a vommilment from the United States allies that their smp1l would nol be used by the Soviet Union fOJ .5rupments to CflOO.

The Senate Foreign Rf'lalioo~ and Anned Services Committees approved the te):t of n joiot resoln­tion on Cuba sanctioning the use of forP."'. if ne<-'Cssary. to defend

Hemisphere against Cuban aggression or sub. The proposed rf'solution was understood to have the

support of the Kennedy admini.'itration and the HOUSe Foreign

The Sen>lte re,;olution on Cuba sanction­ing the use of force. jJ ll€{'e"'_~ary, to curb Cuban ag!'(ression and

the \Vestem Hemisphere, passed the to 1. The loue dissenter was Senator

WiILston L. Pronty of Vermont who did not feel that the resolu­Pronty felt that the resolution should

President to lise armed forces, and to warn the Soviet Uniou that jt would be helel responsible lor allY

Cnb~. (Refer to Document 7 fur

Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei A. the United ~ations that an

attack on Cuba by the United States wonld mean war. (Reft:r

Ambassador Adlai E. Stevenson, the United States Reprt:$€.llt!t­tive to the United Nations, replied that "the tbreat to the peace in Cnba comes not from the Uoited Slat.::;, but frOIO the Soviet

(Refer to Document 9 for text.)

President Kennedy maintaiued that his own doom by inviting Soviet

308

hours IU a Joint ~'e~siOil

Secretary Ru~k later .'nid that a

SEPTEMBER 18, 19132 ­:r\jxon called for u Soviet arms. He nrgcd action" immediately and the Administration in ~-uch sueh a program conld involve

SEPTEMBER 19, HiG2 ­

the Westem version.

Afhirs Committee.

SEPTEMBER Q{J, 1982 ­

commwwt subVersion in Senate hy a vote of 86

tion went far euou~h. haw' "authoriurl" the

aggre~sion stemming from text. )

SEPTEMBER 21, 1962 -Gromyko issned a new warning in

to Document S for tert.)

Union."

SEPTEMBER 22, 1962 ­Prem:'er Castro had sealed military assistance.

310 SEPTfMBER-ocr08ER, 1962

SEPTEMBER 30, 1962 Secrebry of State D('<In Rusk di~cus~d the problem of Cuba, (Refer to Docnment 10 for text.)

President Kennedy unu Lord Home, the British Foreign Set'l'etury, mel ill Washinglon and discussed WllrS of "containing further Communist expansion and subversion in the Caribbean."

Premier Khrnshchev invited President Kennedy to the Soviet Union for fI visit by a personal iuvHatiull exlt:nued through Secretary of the Interior Stewart 1. Udall.

OCTOBER 1, 1062 - The several hints b~' PremiPr Nikita S. Khmshchev that Presideut John F. Kennedy visit the Soviet Union were labeled as "casual conversation" by the Department of Slale.

OCTOBER 2. 1962 - SeorNary of State Dean Rusk assured II

eonf(>rPnc(> of American Foreign Ministers that the United States was prepared to provide the nel'ess.ary leadenhip to defeat Commuist subversiou and possibly aggression in the Western Hemisphere.

OCTOBER 3, 1962 - ThE' dflE'gate$ to the infonnal inter-Ameriean fortliWl ministers conference in Washington labeled the Soviet intervention in Cuba as a threat to the hemisphere which re­qUired individual and collective countermeasures. In a dosing communiqne the foreign miuisters declared: "The Soviet Union's

,;;;:::- intervention in Cuba threatens the nnity of the Amerieas and of its democrutk institutions . . . it is desirable to intensify inlHvidn'll ~\nd mlleHive surveiJlaoce of the deliverv of arms aod implements of war and all other items of strategic im­portance to the Communist regime of Cuba, in order to prevent the seeret accuITmlation in th(' island of unns used for oHensive purposes against the hemisphere."

The United States gov('rnmenf decided all drastic nnilateral action to preveut the use of American, allied and nf'lltml ship. piug between the Soviet Union and Cuba hy excluding any ships engaged in this trade from ports in the United States. Thl' P'''siut"ut was aho sehednled to issue orders prohibiting United States-o'Wlled ships sUiling under foreign flags from trailing with Cuba.

:-.lew York attoruey JaIllt~s B. Dunovan left for Cub", to discu~~ the possible exchange of prisoners held by Premier Castro in return for some nudetennined ransom.

OCTOBER 4, 1962 - The United Slates governml'nt revealed its plan to penalize all shipowners who transport Soviet bloc sup. plies to Cub.!. Tbe pLl11 inch>des loss of cargo fram th", l7nited States government, closure of U.s. ports, prohibition of U.S. ports to ccrnntries that trade with Cuba, <lnd prohibition of U.S. flag ships or U.S.-owued ~hips to trade with Cubu.

OCTOBER, 1962 311

OCTOBER 5, 1962 - Brazilian Premier Hermes Lima assured , Brazilian sympathizers of Fidel Castru thai Bra?il would never

~upport punitive measnre~ again Cuba simply becanse it has a [arm of lZ"overnment diRerent Ir:?m that oE other Latin American countries. Dr. Lima, who is also Brazil's foreign millistel, stated that "Brazil's foreign policy mnintains the principles of self­detennination and respeet for the sovereignty of each people."

OCTOBER 6, 1962 - Radio Havana began a program called "Radio Free Dixie" which was apparently aimed at the Amer­iean Negroes in the South.

OCTOBER 7, 1962 _ Reports were eirC"Ulating in Miami that attorney James n. Donovan W<'IS removing many obstacles in the way of the rE'leasE' of the l,lJ3 Cnban prisonen captnred after the nnsnecessful invasion of April, 1961. There were also reports that if the $62 milliolJ "illdemnity" in food "nd m~Jidne.de­manded hy Ca~tro is raised, that the prisoners might be released in the near future.

President Osvaldo Donicos Torrado of Cuba conferred with Premier Ahmed Ben Bella of Algeria today prior to placing the Cuban issue on the agenda of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

OCTOBER 8, 1962 - President Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado of Cnba addresser] Ihe Gl"lleral Assc-mhly of the lTniterl Nations, attacked the United States and called npon the United Nations to con­demn the United Stales "naval blockade" of Cuba. (Refer to Document II for tex\.)

Ambassador Adlai E. Stevenson rose to protest the attack by President Dorticos and issned a separate statement ill reply im­mediately after the meeting of the Geneml Assembly of the United Nations adjoumed. (Refer to Doc-umenls 12, 13 for texts.)

Congress withheld economic and military ilssist"ncc from any country which "sells. furnishes or permits any ships nnder its registry" to trade with Cnha "so long as it is governed by the Castro regime" under the terms of the Forei!;.ll A>,islance Act of 1961, as amended, Section 107(a) and (b). Cungress also withh..Jd any economic or military assistance from my conntry which "is based upon that theory of gnvenlment know]) as

I Communism" under the same Act, Section 109 (a) and (b).

j OCTOBER 9, 1\;162 - Secrelar}' of StMe Delln Rusll annOllOcedI that the United States would work for the eevoomic and social ': development of "the oppressed pe(l[lle of Coha" if they were

freed from Communist rnle. James B. Donovan, the attorney negotiating the release of the

Cnban prisoners, wa. optimistic nhout an early agrl'ement.

312 OCTOBER, 1962

OCTOBER 10, 1962 - It was reported that the United States Government was deeply involwd in tryiug to raise the ransom requested by Prromier Castro for the release of the prisoners captnred in the abortive "Bay of Pigs" iuvasiOIl.

A Cuban exile group known as "Alpha 66" acknowledged that they staged a successful raid on Cuba au Odober 7th. The group maintained that they did considerable damage to Cuban civil and military iustallatinus. Alpha 66 was the group which attacked One British and two Cuban cargo vessels anchored off the north cuast of Cuha on September 10th.

OCTOBER 11, 1962 - British shipowners insisted that th",y would accept nu restriE'tjr)n on their trade with Cuba. The British made it quite clear that tbey iutended to retain their right tu trade anywhere iu the world.

The Swedish goverument also exprE'ssed di~approval of the United States ban uu trade with Cuba.

OCTOBER 12, 1962 - Great Britain made representatioll.'l tn the United States in a carefully wordrod uotE' abOllt the proposed plan uf Alpha 66, a Cuban exile organiZlltiun, to attaek all merchant ~hjps carrying supplies to Cllba. A spokesman for the British Foreign Office earlier said that Creat Britain "would tale a serious view of any attaeks on British shipping going about its lawful business."

The Department oJ State indicated that it was not prepared to act against the Cnban e;,.(Jes whn made threatening raids Oil

Cnba and also waruE'd foreign shippers that they would run risks in cnntinued trade with Cllba. The Departmeut of State further said that it did not sanetion sll(:b assaults, but said that there were difficultics in gllaranteeing the peace in the Carib­bean.

President Mauuel Ydigoras Fuentes of Cnatemala apparently ca[]celled a plan by Cuban exiles to launch a bombing attack on Cuba. PresidlOnt Ydigoras also repeated the eharge that the United States had promised Cnatemala assist;lnl:e in its dispnte over British Houdnras iu return for pennitting the Uuited States to USE' Gnatemala as a training ground for an invasion of Cuba, Ydigoras f!lrther indicated that he might favorably regard an application by a Cuban government iu exile for recognition, but that he would not allow Cnatemala to 11Ix'Ome the ba~e of an­other Cnban iuvasion.

OCTOBER 13, 1962 - The polley of the l.:ennedy administration toward Cuba seemed to blO OUE' oJ imposing economie sanetions against the Castro regime iu tbe face of massive Soviet eco­nomic, military aud technical as~istance. It was estimated tbat Iotal Soviet bloc imports to Cuba for 1962 will CQme to about

OCTOBER, 1962 313

$600 miIlion, which will be partially covered by $500. million in Cuban exports. In addition, there had been an estimated $200 milliou in military supplies sent by the Soviet bloc in 1962, and the Soviet Union had promised $-475 million in eredits for the industrializatiou of Cuba.

OCTOBER 14, 1962 - It wa~ reported that some United Nations delegates had been informed that the Soviet Union was willing to pursue a "more moderate·· poliey toward Cuba if the United Statcs wonld relax its pusition on West Bernn.

It was felt in Wasbington that the Cubau Govemment had been extremely careful in recent weeks to avoid any ehanl:e of conflict with the United States or the imposition of sanetions by the Organizati<JU of Amcrican States.

Presidcut Kennedy abrnptly changed his eampaign plans and flew to New York for a eonference with Adlai E. Ste\'enson, the United States Ambassador (Representative) to the United Na-' tions. The discllssions reportedly cont:erned tbe rel:ent develoP­ments in the Cougo.

OCTOBER 15, 1962 - Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower attaeked the critics of his foreign poncy in a eampaign speeeh in Bostou: "In thosc eight yeaH [of the Eisenbower administra­tion}, we lost no inch of gronnd to tynmny. We witnessed nb' abdieation of responsibility. We accepted no compromise of pledged word or withdrawal from principle. No wans were built. No threatening foreign bases were established. Oue war was ended and incipient wars were bloeked."

Republican National C<Jrnmittce Chainnan William E. Miller declared that the "irresolution" of the Kcnnedy administration is the dominant election issue in 1962.

Officials of the Kennedy administration obscrved that the Castro regime wa~ being eareful to avoid eonfliet and was not actively resisting ;lerial sUC','eillanl:e,

OCTOBER 16, 1962 - Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev and U.S. Ambassador Foy D. Kohler held a three-hour diseussion on a wide range of topies including BE'rJin, Cuba, Soviet ~hipping,

nnelear testing and disarmament. No snbstantive results of the meetin.'( were annonnced, bnt a comnmruque stated, "The CQllversation prol-'8eded in an atmosphere of frankness and

I· mutual wlderstanding." Algerian Premier Ben Bella praised the Castro revolution npon

: arriving in Havana from the United States for a short visit; later gave snpport to Castro demand for United States with­drawal from the Guantallamo Noval Station. I The Castro regime (,'barged that U.S. Navy planes had flown "provocatively and repeatedly" over mercbant ships in Cnban territorial waters.

I

314 OCTOBER, 1962

OCTOBER 17, 1962 - New York attorney James Donovan, also a Democratic candidate for St:rlator, continued his role as inter. mediator in the possible exchange of the Cuban pri.~oner£,

Three days late£ DOllo','::m rf'f'{'ived a ransom llst of goods de­manded u~ Castro fOT freedom of prhoners.

OCTOBER 18, 1002 - The Department of Defense announced that twelve Navy jet figllters were tTamferred to the SOU/hem tip of Florida on Odooor 6th in resIXJn~e to reports that Cuba had acqnireJ two dozen Soviet MIG jet planes.

The White H(llJ~e also announced that plans for a United States quarflntine of Cuban shipping were still being worked out <lOd probably would not be r~dy this week. Accordinj2; to tbe plans :llready made known, an cxccutiw order would impttse various sanctions on foreign shjp~ ",no shipping companies in_ volved in Cuban trade.

Soviet Foreign Mini.~'er Andrei A. Grornyko met wIth Presi_ Utllt Kennedy at the White House and repoat:xlly covered '" wide r(lllg~ of topics in an extrnsiVe ui.so.:ussion of East-West i!iSnl's. No wport was immedia.tely availllble on fhe substance of the issues discnssed.

OGTODER 21, lfl62 - An atmosphere of crisis hung over Wash_ ington as President Kennedy met with top administration officials. President Kennedy placed a tight s~('recr control Over the issue of {.'oncern, but Ulerc WE're hillts that he would adckess the nation over television in thl': next day or so.

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps were reportedly ~taging extensive maneuvf'[S involving about 20,000 well oJ! Pllerlo Rico, intf'rpretcd by some a'l a show of fOKe.

Increasing sympathy was reported among the I,atin American States for the United Stalt's in its difficulties with Premier Castro and his regillJe. HowevN, the Latin American Stales apparently \'it'wed the io"'" of collective armed intervention with disfavor.

Th(' Dep,-,rtment of Defense denied that thtl unU5uu[ conf'.en­nation 01 military fOK'eS off .Puerto RicLl was linked with crisis.

Senator Jaeob J:lVHs adwcated the dlweloprTlent of a "Carihbean·type :'iATO" llJ help enforce a Quarantine.

OCTOBER 22, 1M2 - Congressional leaders WeII.' fiowu ill to Vlashington for special advance briefing on the cli.~is.

Forty.six pro-Western and neutral o.mba~~adnn were given advance briefing by Under Secretary \,porge W. Ball.

Secretary Rusk ga~'e Soviet Amhassador Anatoly Dohrynin El­

speci<ll briefing on Cnhan Crisis and an ad\'aw:e coPy of 1'rcsi­d"lIc Kennedy's forthcoming address with a cuvering memo­randum.

OCTOBER, 1962 315

President KennedY ~ddre~sed the nation over mdio and TV nu the n~w "Cuban Crisis" and the finding of MRBM and lRBM mhsilcs and other "offensive>" weapuns in Cnha. (Refer to Documpnt 14 for text.)

Amba..sador Adlai E. Stevcnson requested an immediat~ meeting of tEe UN Seeurity Council to discuss the Cuban Crisis. (Refer to DOClllnents 15.16 for texts.)

Secretary uf Stutf' Rusk C"aUed for a meeting of the Cmmci1 of the OAS.

Cuba requested tll2t the United Nations Security Council mee to eonsider the developing Caribbpan situation. (ReIer

to Document 27 for text.) The Defense Deparuncut put all U.S. military forces thl"Ough­

out the W<:lrld Oil au illen b~sis.

OCTOBER 23, 1062 - The Department of OcfCllse released photographs of Soviet missile sites nl Cuba,

The Cuhan Crisis grip~d lhe Unitoo. Nations and a.ll other bn~iness was temporarily po~tponcd a~ delegates followed de­velopments.

The Soviet Unlon Icquestf>d the convening of a special session of the U.N. Security COimcil to consider the Caribbean sihlation. (ReIer lo Document 15 fOJ text.)

Cuba requested permission to participate in thp U.N. Security COUIll'il deliberations on the Caribbean situation. (Refer to Document 19 for text.)

President Kennedy signed proclamation 01 interdktion of offensive weapolls establishing "quarantine" around Cuba. (He. Ier to Ducument 20 for text.)

P[e9del\t Kenue-dy issued an Executive Order mobilizing somc reserve units. (Refer to Document 21 for text.)

The U ,N. Security Council was seized with the Cuban Crisis. (Refer to Documents ZZ, 26. 27, 28. 29 for texts of resolutions and statements.)

The OAS unauimou~ly passed U.S. resolution on Cuban f:risis. (Refer to Documents 23, 24, 25 for texIs of rcso!ntiQn and slate­mEJlts.)

F<"1rmer Secretary of State Dean Acheson .flew to Pads to

hrief NATO members on Cubau Crisis. Radio /l{oscow dlargcd thllt '·hysteria" had agam gripped

Wa.~hington alld thJ.t thf'. U.s. was thre<ltening Cuba. All SO~'iet aud Warsaw Pact forces were n:p<Jrtedh' put OU an

alt'fl basis. Premier Castro addressed tht Cuban nation over TV and

dt>clared the U.S. blockade an act of piracy and that it will Utl fought. Castro .uso do:micd that Soviet military equiprntlll was "oflensive:·

316 OCTOBER, 1962

Premier Castro ordered full mohilization of all Cuban military forees and the eivilian population.

The Departrnpnt of Defense tl.DDOOilCOO that all milita.ry de. penden!s at Gw:mlauamo were being evacuated and that the garrison was being reinforced.

Tbe Department uf Defense announced the inkrception of the Soviet oil tanker Bucho;rcat which was alluwed to proceed, with only alongside vimaJ observ<ltion. Twelve other SOViet ships were reported to have altered camst'.

President KeTlnedy '1greed to prelimiunry talks with Acting Secretary General U Thant on whether "satisfactory arrange_ meuts" for negotiations to rf'SO'Vf~ the Cuhan Crisis could be developed. Premier Khrushchev agreed to U Th'1nt's appeal lor a moratorium nn auy further adiolJS; jf the roited States would Jrop the qu~rantine, the Soviet Union would suspend arm~ shipments ~o Cuba. However, it was reported that Wash. ington would continue the arms blockade until all oJIcn~he

weapons in Cuba were under international supervi~ion.

The People's Hepublic oE Bulgaria js~ued a st!ltCll1ent Oil the Cub:m Crisis. (l\efer to DocuIDrn! 30 fur text.)

1be Haitian D",parbneut of Foreign Affairs is>ued a com­muniqne on the Cuban Crisis. (Refer to Documeut 31 for text.)

OCTOBER 24, 1962 - Six Latin American !Jillions offered military support to assist in U.S. blQ(:kade of Cuba.

President Kennedy's proclamation on the intNdie~ion of offensive weapons (quarantine) went into effect at 10 A.M., Eastern Sl.andard Time.

Communist China label('d the U.S. blockade as kpiracy" and urged nnity witbin the Communist bloc.

Lord Bertrand Russell of Great Britain appealed to Khru­.~hchev for cautiou and urged President Kennedy to end the "madness."

The Czechuslovak Soeialist Republic issued a declaration on the Cnhan Crisis. (Refer to DoculJlent 32 for text.)

Acting Secretary Ceneral U Thant made u st;:,tement to the U.N. Security Cvuueil on behalf of forty member nations, and called upon President Kennedy alld Premier Khrushchev to IDS­pend an flC'non for two or three weeks. (Refer to Document 33 for text of statemeut and letters to Kennedy and Khrushchev.)

The United Arab Republie and Ghana proposed a joiut reSo' lntion essentially supportiug the positiun of Acting Sel'fctary General U Thant. (Refer to Doeument 34 for text.)

Dr. Curlos S0sa-H.odriguez of Vl::lJezuela support(>d the U.S. position before the l;.N. St'curity Council. (Refer to Docnment 35 for excerpt from st<ltelllent.)

Sir Patrick Dcan of Great Britain supported the U.S. positio"

OCTOBER, 1962 311

before the U.N. Seeurity Council. (Refcr to Document 38 for excerpt tram ~tatelllt'nt.)

Amb~lSSador Mircea Malitzn of Romania attacked the U.S. position befOJc tho U.N. Security Council. (Refer to Document 37 for excerpt from statement.)

Ambassador Frank Aiken of Ireland supported the U.S. posi· tion before the U.N. Security Conncil. (Refer to Docunlent 38 for excerpt from statement>

Ambassador Roger Seydoux of France snpport('n the U.S. position before the U.N Security Council. (Refer to Document 39 for excerpt from statement)

The Covernment of the Dominican Republic issued a declara­tion on the CUU<l.U Crisis.:Re[pr to Dotmoent 40 for text.)

OCTOBER 25, 1962 _ Prime Minister Harold Macmillan delivered an address 10 the Honse of COmm{)llS supporting the U.S. posi­tion on Cuba. (ReIer to Document 41 lor text.) ,

Prcmier K.hrushchev replied to a letter from Lord Eertrand Russell and urged the U.s. not to carry out bloekade and prom­ised to avoid ,-eclde~s decisiDns while proposing a summit con­ference to avert Jluclear w:tr. (Refer to Docnment 42 for text.)

The Hnngari<~ll People's Republic issued a statement on the Cuban Crisis. (Refer to Document 4:.> for text.) Th~ Union of African and Malagasy States Cisued a set of

proposals on the Cuban Crisis. (Refe£ to Do~um~nt 44 lor text. )

Pre~ident Kennedy replled to the appeal from Acting Secre~ tary General U Thant and agreed to talks with bim on arranging negotiations witll tht:" Soviet Union hut indicated that the block­ade would contiune. (Refer to Document 45 for text.,

Pn:JJlier Khrushchev sent a letter to Acting Secretary General U Tb.'lllt which supported U Thant's position. (Refer lo Docu­mC>lt 46 Jor text.)

Amhassador S~evell5on made two statenlt:uts before the U.N. Security Council and challenged Soviet Ambassador Valerian A. Zorin to deny that the Suviet Union had oHen.~iwc weapOns in Cuha. Zorin reEused to all5wer and Stevenson displayed photo­graphs of missile bilses nnder constmction. (Refer to Docu· ments 47, 49 for te:ds of statements.)

Amba.\suJor Valerian A. Zorin of the Soviet Union replied to charges of Ambassador Stevenson and said tbat U.S. photos were f;l!se and that the Soviet Ullion had nO o1fensive weapons stationed outside of the U.S.s.R. (Hefer to Ducument 18 for text. )

The Department of Dcfen~e issued a statement fln the quar­antine of Cuba and procedures that would be followed. (Refer to DocUIIlcnt 50 fur text.)

318 OCTOBER, 1>'62 OCT08ER, 1962 3'. Pope John XXIII issned a st'llerncnt on the Cuban Crisis

urgillg both sides to bf. rl'3sOllable anu rational in the seltlernent of the dispnte for the sake of mankind. (Refer to Docnmeut 51 for text.!

Haili fnTmdlly ilnllouu('ed its sllpport of the aetio;Js nod polio cies of the United States, (Refer to DocmDent 52 tor text.)

Second message from Acting Se\;ldary Gcnend U Thant to President Kcnnedy. (Reler tu Dor.nrner.t 53 for text.)

"President Kennedv Sffit another letter to Acting Secretary General U Th<lnt illck-ating that the U"itt'..:! States will attt'mpt to avoid any Jhed <;ouFrO'lbJtioll with the Soviet Union. (Refer to Docllmeut .54 for text)

Acting Secretary General V Thant ~eut another message to Premier Khrnslu.:J.cv. (Refer to Doc:nrnellt 55 for text.)

P1-cmif'r Khrushchev sent another letter to Acting Secretary Gener<Jl U Thant indicating that he will keep Soviet ships aw~y from the hloLlmle "rca tempon,rily, (Rfi'~€'r to Document .')6 for text.,

The \Vhite House issned a pre~s release wit}1 "e"\>' intclligen"e data ~howing that the Soviet mi;;~ilf' huild-up In Cuba W<lS

continuil1~ at a rapid pace, (Refer to DOCllIr,ent 1'57 for text.) The Dcpr,rtmcnt of Defense iss\led a st[ltemellt un the boam­

jllg oI thc Morocl(J.. (ReIer to Document :')1') for teXt.! The Mongoliau People',~ Repnhlic issued <J stntemmt on the

Cnban Crisis. (HeIer to Document 5Y for lext) Premier Khrnshchev iududcd a set (jf propusal; for the reoo­

lution of th", Cnhan Crisis in a tetter to President Kennedy. (Text of Jetter not yet available.)

Adir.g Secretary CL'lInal U Thant scnt a Jetter to Premicr Callro atlemp~iTlg to approach hjm lor a setllcment. (Refer to Document 61 fur text)

OCTOBER 27, 11)62 - Premkr Castru sent a letter to Actill~ Scc­retZlry General U Thant indkllting that he was wiHing tu [;(l­

operate with him iu trying to wUlk out somp arr"ngpments for United Nations veriRcatirll1. (Refer to Docnment 62 for text.)

A U.S. U-2 reconr.ais~ance plane was reported misSin/l imd presumed lost over Cnba.

Prelojtr Khl"UlJhlh"v scut yet another letter to President Ken­flJ,dy proposing to swap the Soviet Cnban bases for the NATO bases in Tllrkey. (ReFer to Document G·) for text.)

The ,Vhite HOllse iS~'lled 'l st.'l.temeut on the CUTTent status in the development of the Cllbau Crisis. (Refer to Vocnmellt 64 for text.)

Presidenl Kennedy sent another IE-Her to Premier Khrnshchev jlld;('~tj,H~ th~t tbe hases swap delll is not acceptable but thut the proposals set forth ill Khrushchev's letter of October 26th

contained the bases of an u"derstnnding. (Refer to Document 6~ fur text.)

The Department of State issued a press N'Jease conccmin..; the prior clearance of vessels bdore departure for Cuba (Refer to Documtut 66 for text,)

OCTOBER 28, 1962 -, Premier Khrushehev bad his reply letter of Of'loner 28th broadcast over Radio Moscow to ex~dile

matters becanse events in the CUb,Ul Crisis seemed to be roll­uing ahead of diplomacy, (Refer to Document 67 for text.)

Presidpnt Kennedy TPplied to Premier Khrushchev's broad­cast letter almost inunfi'diately with it ~tatcment and "nbse­qnently followed a,ls with a lett(>r connrminA" the proposals and arrangements. (Refer to Ducnments 68, 69 for teXIs.)

Chairman Khrushchev sent a copy elf Ills repl, to President Kennedy tu Acting St:netary Cellert" U Thant with a eOVel, note. (Refer to Document 70 for text.)

Acting Secretary Gencral U Thant replied to Premier Khru­shchev's note. (Refto'f Lo Document 71 for text.)

Prime Minister Fidel Ca.<;tro sent a letter to Acting Sf'cretary General U Thant on the apparent resohlti<Jn aE HIe Cuban Crisis. (R('{er to Document 72 for tcxt.)

Acting Secretnry General U Thant replied to Premier Castro's letter. (ReIer to Document 73 for text.)

United States officials ..n'n' reportedly reviewinA" thf' develop­meub in the Cuban Crisis from the standpoint of thf' Soviet Union to detennine if there were an,. serions ~ljifLs in Kremlin policy or power strnggles between the "Stalinist" (hard nne> OT "cIH"xistcnee" (soft line) elements. It was also reported that the UlliteU States was trying to help Premier Khrushchev save face in order to retain his position and earry out the proposals.

OCTOBER 29. 1962 - Acting Secretary Ceneral U Thant con­ferred with S{w!c! First Deputy Premier Vllsily V. Ku:znetsov 011

r~JP morninp; after his arrival in :"Jew York, and later in tile day with United States Ambassador Adla.i E. StevenMJO. The dis­eusslons were described a~ "fruitful" and U Thant announced that be was Hying to Cuba on October 3Uth to eonfer wi.th the Cub<Jn govemment llbont arraugements for verinration by the United Nations of the dismantling of Soviet missiles and a halt in the building of baSes.

It wal generally eoneeded ilIlloug delegales lit tbe United Nations that U Tho.ut's electioll as pcmlanent Secretary General of the l"nited Nations was a virtual ceJtainty on the ba~is of his tZlctfnl intercession and nse of good offiecs in the Cllha.n Crisis,

VAS Secrdary Cenerlll JOSf. A. Mora sent a letter to Acting Secretary General U Thant of the U.N, (Refer to DOCUIDtllt 74 for text.)

321 320 OCTOBER, 1962

OCTOBER 30, 1962 - Acting Secretary Ceueral U Thant talked with Premier Casliu fur two hours about United Nations SUper_ vision of the dismantling of the So~iet missile bases. The tall.:s were reported as "us"ful," but would be continuP<'! the next day.

The Uuited Slates lemporilrily suspended its oa'''''] hloekade and aerial surveillance of Cuba for the duration of U Thant'!i talks with Castro, at tIle rel/uest of the Actin~ Secret..ry Genetal.

United States officials thought that Premier Castro would equivocate ou {}nited NatiolJS supervision by insisting llo bis various couditious.

President Titu of TLlguslOlvia issued a statement on the reeent developments in the Cubau Crisis. {Refer to Doenrnent 7.'5 for text. )

OCTOBER .11, 19f12 - Acting Secretary Ceneral U Thunt issued a noncommittal statement on return ITom diseussions with FrE'rnil'r (;a,tro remarking- that the talks were "frnitful." (Refer to Doeumeut 76 for text.)

Apting SecretilrY General U nant's mission to Cnba to es­( tablish the bases of a United Nations observer corps in Cnba tu \ inspe('t thp dismautliug of Soviet missile~ was reported. to be a

faHure. U TharJt was returning to the l'nited Nations with all \ '{J1emhP.rs of his staff.

Dr. GMeia-Illchaustegui was replaced as head 01 thl' Cuball d.eleg~tion to the United 'Jatious by Carlos Lechuga.

Premier Nikita Khrushchev ordered First Deputy PrE'mier Anashs T. Mikoyan to 1/:0 to Cuba, Mikoyan was expected to discms the pussible terms of United Nations inspection aud veriAmtiCln of the remuval of Soviet missiles from Cuba, and the general United States-Soviet Union resolution of the pruu­km

(' Sources in London believed thRt Prrmier Khmshchev's re­. treat from Cuba will produee a serious and significant strain lover his eontrol of the Soviet Government and tbe Communist l bloc nfltions, particularly Commnnist China.

Officia1.'l of the Kennedy administration lelt that the inter­national e1imate had ehanl/:ed considerably as a result of the Cuban Crisis, and that many diffieult issnes such as Berlin, Latin America ~nd disarrnB.meTlt rna}' huve a chance for solution. In any eveut, the consensus in \Va~hington seemed to be that the Cnb:m Crisis was a "turning point" in the Cold War and had bought some time for the free world.

An poitorial on the front pap;e nf Jenmin Jih PaD. the Chinese Commuuist newspaper, indirectly attacked Premier Khrnshchev bec,lllsp he had acquiesced in the "u.S. imperiali~t attempt to browheat the people of the world into retreat at the e~pen!e of Cuba."

NOVEMBER, 1962

NOVEMBER 1, 1962 - Thp United Swtes resumed its selective blockade and aerial surveillance of Cuba after the return of Acting Senetary Genera] U Thant to the United Nations.

The Soviet Union suggested that the Intenlational Committt'tl of the Reu CroSli or possibly ~ome observers hom the diplomatic corps in Cuba might be nsed to check on Premier Khrushchev's promise tu Jj~mantle the missiles and retunl them to the Soviet Union. The~e propusals were alternatives to a United ~atiOJls

inspeetion tealll origioOllly acc€>p/f>Q by Premie" Khmshchev. The United State~ expressed a willingness to consider using

the lied Cross group. Sovirt First Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyan left for Havana

on what some believed the last chance to aehieve a Cuban solntion under the formnla worked out by President Kennedy and .Premier KhOl~hchcv.

Some observers believed that the Cuban Cri~is was cansing strong internal strains withiu the Communist bloc.

NOVEMBER 2, 1Qfl2 - Soviet First Deputy Premier Ana.'itas Mi­koyan issued a brief statement prim to leaVing New York fat discussions with Premier Castro in Cuba. (ReIer 10 Docnment 77 for text.)

Premier r.a.~~ro rejected any form of international inspection Ot verification in Cnba.

ProsiJent Kpnnedy mace a brief address to the nation on the present status of the Cnban Crisis. (Refer to Ducument 18 fot kxt. )

NOVEMBER 3, 1962 - ne United States nnd the Soviet Union reportedly agreed to have the International Red Cross inspect Cuba bound ships at sea. The United St<ltes withheld any definitive gnarantee of nu invasion subiect to an a~reement on the international iuspection of mis~ile sites in Cuba.

Mr. Abram Chayes, the Legal Adviser to the Department of Stale, delivered an address to a Harvllrd Law Sehool reunioll gronp interpreting the u.s. l",gal position in regard to the Cuban Crisis. (Refer to Appendix I for text.)

The New York Times priuted a "Step by Step Review" of the Cnb.m Crisis from Octooer 14 through October 31. (Refer to Appendh H for text.)

NOVEMBER 4, 1962 _ Aeting Secretary General U Thant de­seribed the pro~peets for a settlement of the Cuban Cri~is as "guuu," and that he was consulting with members of the Secnrity Conncil about a meeting to review the situation.

NOVEM3ER .'5, 1962 - The United States r",portf>dly received 9ssurances from the Soviet Union that it still supported inter­national inspection of the dismantling and removal of missile3

I 322 NOVEMBER, 1962

from Cuba. However, officials of the United States made it clear that the "no invasion" [lledge of President Kennedy was not bindiug withont international verillcation of the removal of the oBensive weapons.

In another front page editorial, lenmin Jill Poa, the Chinese Commnnist newspaper, rejeeted dU)' "appea.'lement policy" toward the United States und pledged "full snpport" to Premier Castro. Pro-Cuban demonstrations continued for the third day in Ppldng.

The GAS passed a s€(:Qud resolution relating to the Cuban Crisis. (Refer to Document 79 for text.)

NOVEMBER 6, 1962 - The Sovie~ Union was reported to have proposed tlJat Swiss Anny technicians of the International Red Cross inspect the ships loaded with Soviet missiles as they depart Cuba. However, the United States was reportedly hold­ing firm to on-site inspection.

Actiug Secretary Ceneral U Thant met with two representa_ tives of the Red Cross at the United Nations to discuss the "in_ ~ppctinn at sea of Soviet missiles being removed [rom Cuba."

The United States reportedly protested the failure of the Soviet Union to remove the IL-28 medium-range jet bombers.

NOVEMBER 7, 19M - The: United Slates and thE' Soviet Union reached an agreement whereby United States naval vessels would make contact with the Soviet ship~ leaving Cuba and verify that the missiles were being transshipped,

Assistant Secretary 01 Defense Arthnr Syh-e-stcr reod the foJlowing aunonncement: '"The Soviet Union has reported ships are leaving Cuba with missiles aboard. Arrangements are being made with Soviet representatives for <."Onta<.1 with these ships by Unitcd Stutes naval vessels and for counting the missiles beiug shipped out."

Iu Moscow, Premier Khrushchev announced lhat forty Soviet missiles were emplaced iu Cnba and that thpy UP now on their way back to the Soviet Union.

fn a message to Premier Khrushchev on the forty-fifth anni­versary of the Bolshevik Rcvolntion, Premier Castro Inaint:tined his position on the five conditions whJcb he laid down for a settlement of the Cuban Crisis.

NOVEMBER 8, 1962 - The Department of Defense annonnced that "aU known" Soviet mi.~l"ile buses in Cuba had been dis­mantled, and that a "substantial" nnmber of missiles had been loaded aboard So..iet ships or were mOVing to port areas, It was also announced thflt th" Navy will detennine the evaendtion of th(' missiles throngh "close alongside observation." (Refer to Docnment 80 for teKt.)

NOVEMBU. 1962 323

MembE'TS of the Cnban ddegation to the United Nations made it known that the IL-28 medium-range bomhers sent to Cuba by the Soviet Union ar(> Cubnn property and will not be returned. United States aerial reconnaissance indicated that there were thirty to forty IL-28 bombers in Cuba.

Informed SUUIces in Washingtun indicated that the IL-28 bombers were included in the definition of offensive- weapons

Wu HSlu-chuan, Commnnist Chinese delegate to the Bulgarian Cummuni~t Pnrty Congress, reportedly asserted that Communist China supported Fidel Castro'~ five conditions of settlemeot and that the Peking regime wonld extend all the material and moral support it could to Cuba.

There were indiE'ations emanating from Cuba that it was Ie-examining its relations with the Soviet Union followiog the Soviet withdrawal of the IRBM and MRBM missiles.

NOVEMBER O. 1962 _ 'TIl!', D('partrnent of Defense annonneed that five Soviet freighters were intercepted on the high seas '<lld mhmitled to inspectiou. Assistaot Seeretary of Defeo,;e Arthur Sylvester annouuced; "The responsible people of this Govem· ment are satisfied that what is hciug reported [throu~h the Navy inspeetion procedure} are the missiles, but final determi· nation will await analysis of the photographs."

It was r"ported that a represent:ltive of the Soviet delegalion to the United Nations had given an official of the Ullited Stlltes a list of forty-two missiles and equipmeut, which would leave Cuba by November I Ith.

The Dep:uullent of St'lte annonnCf"d that Presideut Kennedy had received another letter from Soviet Premier Khrushchev, bnt described the contents as "technical." It was helieved that the letter diSC\Jssed the details of the inspection procedure for the departing missiles. Qualtlled S(JUf(,;e~ .. IsCl indicalffi that therE' were one or two other letters from Premier Khrushchev to President Keunedy which were not made public.

Senior members of tht':' United Natiuus staff continued discus­sions with delegates of the lntefllational Red CTO.~S, Paul J. Ruegger and Melchior Borsinger, on the iospection of Soviet ships going to Cnba to ascertaiu that 00 olIensl..-e weapons were beillg sent in.

Discussions continued at the DUlted l\ations between the special United States negotiator, John J. McCloy, and speeial Sovi<!1 negotiator, First Deputy Premier VasjJy A. Kuznelsov. It was reported that no further progress had been mado after >l

four-honr meeting between thE' two men and other representa­tives of both nations.

The C(}mmnnist Party of the Soviet Union announced that the Central Committee of the CPSU would meet on November

32. NOVEM8ER. 196:

1'.:lth. Thl;l speculatiou was th:lt the meetin~ was caUed to a85C8" the pO!litinn ni the Soviet Union in world aHairs fOllowing the Cuban Crisi~.

The United States, Argentina aud the Oominicau Republic isrue<.l a statemeul 0" the cst..blishmf'nt of a quarantine force. (ReIer to Document Rl for rext.)

NOVE~lBER 10, 1002 - TIle Department of Defense reported that :1 h~d interCf'pted a:Jd inspected five Soviet ships loaded with missiles leaVing Cuha: :-10 boarding parties, bur alougside inspeeUon and photographs.

NOVE~1BER 11. 1982 - The ne\\' head of the Cubau lklegatioll. to the United Nations, Dr. Carlus Lechugn, nrmouncl'd that Cuha will not penllit outside impedor« on ClIball soil.

Deputy Secret:uy of Defense Roswell Gilpatric stated on a trle\,j~·j(J1l program that United S!llfe.~ authorities had "roulJtt!c" f;lrly-two Soviet missiles leaVing Cuba ill the last few days. Mr. Cilpatrk also inditoateJ that thore nad only been a "partial fut­£lIIneut" of the l.lS-SOI'iet agreement aud that Ibe thirty to f"rh,' lL-28 medium bombers were also "offensive weapous" and would have to be withdrawn traIn euLu.

The head of the Ulliled States delegation to the United Nat~u!l~, Ambassador Acbi E. Stevenson, stated on a (derision program that the United Nations played an important role in the resolution of the Cuban C1isis. He ahu predicted l1u1t Acting Secretary General U Thant would be loller.ted to a flill term ,l:; S~cretary C'''neral. parrlillly on the basis of his perfoml. ance iu the Cuban Crisis.

Premier Castro stated that "the Cuban people and their Revolutionary DireHoratc 'dn~ olInly decided to df'fend their Socianst revolution until death" No mention was made of the visit of Soviet First Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyau.

NOVEMBER 12, 1062. - Ptesidpnt Kennedy conferred with his top Olbfln negotiat[)rs from the United Natious and Washing. ton. The only tangible results of the meeting were that the U,lited State, would still in~i>t on the withdraw"l of the 1L-28 bombers ll.UJ would not give fl "nn Invasion" pledge until there had been on_site inspe<:tion verif}'ing the departure of the offen­slve weapons.

NOVEMBER 13, 196:2. - The Soviet Union and Cuba submitted a joint proposal on the Cuban Crisis to ActiJJg Secretary General U Th,w:. However, tIle prapoYu1 w:>, n(j~ mb.lequently sub­IIJittt::d to a joint meeting of the Soviet and United States repre­senhtivf!s rrporteclly on the grO\lIu}s that it would not have been acceptable.

It was reported that Cuited States offidals bPlieved the pro.

NOVEMBEII., 1962 325

longed visit of Soviet First Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyau to Cuba wa, to snrvey tht< entire economic and political situllion withjn Cuba :JS the basis fOT subsequent Soviet policv. Very httle news of Mr. Mikoyan'~ vi,it reached the outsiLle world.

NOVEMBEH 14, 1962 - ThtO t'ni!ed StaleS uegotiator> at Ule UUlled Nation~ bec'wle slightly optimistic whcIJ it appe-arNi that Cuha no longer cbime<1 the lL-28 bomhers fl~ their own, and that the Soviet negutiilt<JfS h:r.d never flatly rel\lsed the United States dellland that tht' bombers be withdrawn. It was also hillted that the United States might liH thtO se!eo.:tive block­ade of Cuba if the bombers were withdl:lWIl.

Informed sources at the United Nations said that the joint Soviet-Cuban prop(l~al called for the impedion and verification procedwe to be (oarned out by neutralist diplomnts. ThUi ap­proach bd beeu raised bv Acting Secretary General U Thant earlier with Premier CasU:o, bIll had uppanmtly been rejeded by the l'nited States.

NOVEMBER 15, 196:2. ~ Premier Fidel C""tm made i: kuown to Acting Secretary Gennal U Thilut that Cuha would ,hout cmVIl linited States airer'lft if aerial reconnaissance continueJ. (Refer to Docmnent 82 for text.)

It was reporteu tha t in one of the privflte letters Premier Kbrushchev sent tel President Kennedy, he had proposed "un­acceptaLle eonditioIls" faT the remnvIJ of the lL-28 bombers. Vnited Stales officials snid that they were ~tin optimistic over an early settlement. It was ahu leported thilt President Ken­nedy had nrged PreHlin Khrushrhev not to deby loa long in the removal of the bom':>ers.

An Eastern European delegate tIl the United Nation~ -pre· dieted thai Premier Khrushchev would w.itMraw the IL-2.8 bombers despite Premier Castro's "him that they were Cuban property.

There w:u nIso specou!ation that First Deputy Premier Anllstns Mikovan might arrive at the UniteJ Nations from Ha\ana on November 16th.

NOVEMBER 16, 1962 _ Under Se<;:rctary of State George W. Ball delivered an aJtlres5 on "NATO and the Cub.m Crisis" before tlie ~ATO ParHamentarians Confereuce Tn Paris. (Refer to Appendix J for text.)

NOVEMBER 18, 1962 _ The Central Committee of the Commu~

nist P:>tty of the Sm'iet Union defended th~ pQIicy of Pre-mier Khrushchev in regard to the reet"!,t Cuban Crisis.

A page' long statemt:ut from the Centra! Committee nppeared in l'ravdn, a Soviet Commllllist Party newspaper, defending Premier Khfllshchev's poli<.r agD.inst his crltic~. In unothf'J fTont

32. NOVEMBER, 1962

pu.ge editorl:J.l, Jenrnin Jill Paa, the Chinese Communist Party l.:cwspaper, declared that it was "pore nonsense" to claim that "pear-e had been saved" by tlle withdraWlll of Soviet mi~siles from Cuba.

Jolm J. M(.-aoy, ehainnan of a United States coordinating committee on Cuba, met with VasIly V. Knznotsov, a So\;iet Firs: Deputy Premier at the Soviet dele};ation's Glen Cove e.~t!lte, with no tangible resnl!s. It was also reported that a joint Soviet-Cuban memorandum had beeu ~llbmjtlCd to Acting Secretary General U Thllnt OIl November 15th in addition to the joint SOviet-Cnban proposal of November 13th.

The rnemomndum of November 15th was revealed to U.S. Ambassador Adlai E. Ste'>'cnson, but jt~ contents were not djs_ clo>ed.

NOVEMBER 19, 1M2 - Washington sonrCt's disclosea !:hat Presi­dent Keouedy was considering warning the Soviet Union and Cuba at the press couJtlrerlC'e OIl Wednesd~y, November 20th if assurances wert' not reeeived that the lL-28 bombers would be removed p~omptly.

Prime Minister Castro staled that he would not obstruct a dcci~ion by the SoVifOt Union to remove the lL-28 bombers from Ceba.

NOVEMBER 20, 1962 - President Kennedy annonnced at hi.! press cooference that he had received a~sllr;lnces that the IL-2S bombers would be withdraWII from Cuba in the lIear futnre, and that the United States quarantine would be lifted. (Refer to Document 83 for tellt.)

Secfctll.[Y of Stale Dean Rus-k discus.~ed the "BaSic Issues Underlying the Present Cri~is" before the Foreign Policy As~o­ciation. (Refer to Appendu. K tor texl.)

NOVEMBER :21, 1962 ~ The United $Lltes appurEntljo' 1,1anned to ltJlltilllle a fI.CJl:ihle policy toward Cuba based Oil iutenlational inspec:tion aod veri6cation with a view toward undenniuing Castro's regime.

AhlJ, the Department of Defense release<l 14,200 air re­servists and removed the involtliitary exteoslons for the Navy and Marine Corp~. Almost sunultant:ull~[Y the Soviet Union [Iud :he Warsaw I'aet nations tprminated the alert status of their fO'fN!s.

President Kennedy is.med <l proclanl<ltkm terminating' !he interdictioo lJf ulfensive weapons (Refer to Document 84 for text.)

NOVEMBER 23, r962 - President Kennedy confeued with mem­bers of his execnti\'e committee of Ille National S",curity Coun­cil au the Cnban Situaliun in HYllnnisport.

NOVEMBEIl., 1962 327

Soviet First De;luty Premier Vasily V. Kometsov conferred a!{ain with Aeting Secretary General U Tlmnt. The nature of the talks was llOt :fa't:aled.

NOVEMBER 25, 19132 ~ Soviet First Depnty Premier Aoastas I. Mikoyan :mnnrlIleed that he wonld retum to the United NaHum on November 28th.

Actiug Secretary General U Thant stated that lie expeeted a reply OIl the ioint Soviet-Cuban memonmdnm [or a tinal settle· ment of the Cnb<1n sihration from the Uuitcd Statcs before the return of Mr. Mikoyan.

Premier Khru,h,.,hev and same of his depnties informed Western eorrespondents that the prime I~SOll to be lellmoo from !:he Cuhan Crists W<lS "compromise and mlltual conees­sions" It WllS h€"lipved that this was the general policY line pnrsued by Premier Khrushchev in his conespuudcnc-c with Presidelll Kennedy.

Premier Castro ,air! that Cuba would permit United Nations im'estiKators to verify the removal of Soviet rni~silcs if the United States would agr~e to United Nations supervision of what he de.~crihcd as anti-Castro training: bases in the United States. The United St.r.te, inJicated that it woultl reject the Cuban proposal. (Refer to Document 85 for tpxL)

NOVEMBER 26, 1962 ~ Soviet First Dl'pnt)' Premier Anastas Mikuyau arrived at the Vnited l\'atiGus <lfter an exteoded stay in Cnba. Mr. Mikoyan met with Adlai Sreveo${m, John }. M<.Cloy and Charles W. Yu~t at a dinner given by Acting See­retary GeIll'rlll U Thant.

Earlier in the day the United States had rejtlded the ioint Soviet-Cuban memorandnm calling for immf'diate /Zuaraotees by the UnitcC: States not to inV<lde Cuba. ne Uuited States position was apparently that it would give no soch pledge until. there had been on-site inspedion and vetifinrlinn in Coha as agreed to hy Premier KhnlShchev in his letter of October 28th.

."l"OVEMDEfi 27, 1962 - Ambassador Adlai E. Stevensun and Cnban coordinator John J. \tcCloy briefed Prtlsident KenneCly on their talb with Sovid First Deputy Premier Anastas I. Mi­koyan at the United Natiom prior to Mikoyan's visit with l're~i­dent Kennedy in Washingtou. ft was reported that in lldditirm to Cuba and other East-West issnes the "',uestion of a nudear te.~t h"n and diSflrmament would be discmsed by Mr. Kellnedy and :\1r. ~fikoyan.

The Department of Defense annonUf'en that "a phased re­depluyillent of forees ;;ellt to the Southeastern United Slates rlnrin~ the Cuhan crisis hus begun." The Depadment (llsn In­

nonnced that a ~Jlecial airl>orne alert of the Strate~c Air Com­mand hold also been "mpended.

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I

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328 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, J962

NOVEMBER 28, 1962 - The Soviet Union agreed in principle to the re-election of U Thant to a fnll term as Secretary General despite earlier Soviet insistence that the ClllTent Cuban CriSis be settled first. The agreement came after a three-hour meeting at the Soviet Mi~sion to the Uuited Nations bern.'een Anastas 1. Mikoyan, Vasily V. Kuznelsov and Valerian A. Zarin for the Soviet "Lnian with Adlai E. Stevenson, Charles W. Yost and John J. McCloy representing the United States.

David Schoenhrun of CBS News interviewed Secretary of State Dean Rmk Rod dist:l.lssed the Cuban Crisis. (Refer to Appendix L for excerpt from intervil:w.)

NOVEMBER 30, 1962 - Acting Secretary General U Thant npon the unanimous reeommendation of the Security Conncil and the unanimons vote of the General Assembly was elected to complete the nnexpired term of Dag HnmmarskOld which ends on NovlOmher 3. 1966.

Soviet First Deputy Premier Anasta5 I. Mikoyau completed m'o days of high-level discussions in Washington with President Kenned~... and Secretary of State Dean Rusk. It was reported that 00 substilotive progress was made on the i~5ue5 of di~ar;/lamellt, Berlin aud the banning of nuclear tests, but that agreement was reac1J.ed to continne discussiom ou the Cuoon Crisis at the United Nations.

The United States, Mgentiua and the Dominican Repnblic issued a combined letter on the dislOstablishment of their qnar­antine force. (Refer to n()('llffiPot R6 for text.)

DECE~1BER 1, 1962 - Soviet First Deputy Premier Anastas I. Mikoyan left Washiugtou by plane for Moscow after spending over five weeks in the Western Hemisphere. He uepulted ~ay­ing tlUlt he was convinced of tne goodwjlJ of the United States and that the same spirit would be demonstrated by the Soviet UnIon.

DECEMBER 3, 1982 - The Department of Defense ann{JJJnced that the Soviet·made .IL.28 medium range bombers sent to Cuba were being returned to tlJe U.S.S.R. Assistant Secretary of Defense Arthur Sylvester said, "The IL-28 aircraft that have been seeu on the island of Cnba are in the process of being withdrawn." It was I:'slim:ited thal the Sovil"t Union had sent abont forty 1L-28 bombers to Cuba.

DECEMBER 5. 1962 - Carlos Lec:hu.'la, the new Cuban ambassa. dor to thE' United Nations, transmitl('"J a letter and stntement to Seeretary Ceneral U Thant. (Refer to Document 87 for text.)

DECEMDER 6, 1902 - The Dcpartment of Dcfcn.~c [lonounced that forty-two IL-28 jE't bombers were on the wny back to tne

DECEMBER, 1962 329

Soviet Union and that this number agreed with the earlier estimates. It was also reported that the Sovi",t trOOp5 stationed in Cuba were engaged in developing defensive fortifica.tions and additional air:6elds thronghout Cuba.

DECEMBER 7, 1982 - United States analystll expressed doubts that Cuba wOlild Oe able to obtain sufficient Soviet bloc credits to Qv('rcome the present economic difficulties.

The Soviet Union and Cuba had earlier negotiated a two­way trade agreement which totaled $750 million for 1962, how­ever, there is apparently little evidence that the trade has ap­proached this amount

DECEMBER 10, 1962 - Secretary of State Dean Rnsk said that tbe United States ('"annot accept "allY Soviet miUtary presence" in Cuba as a nonnal situation.

DECEMBER 12, 1062 -- Premier Khmshchev wamed the United States to kcep to its promise not to invade Cuba. Khnlshchev

\. told the Supreme Soviet that if the promise is not kept the > Soviet Union wonJd ta.ke "appropriate action."

President Kennedy did not direetly reply to Khrushchev's remarks in hi.> press conferenee bnt did say tliat regu~ations were being prepared to curb shipping from other nations to Cuba.

President Kennedy also indicated that In his best judgment, the olfensive missiles aud planes had been removed from Cnba, and that in tbe absence of international inspection the United States would continue its own metilUd uf verification to assore against the reintroduction of offensive weapons into Cuba.

DECEMBEn 13, 1982 - Yngoslav President Josip Broz Tito --; praised Premier Khrushchev Ear his "sta.tesmanlike·· action on Cuba and slated that those who interpreted the Kremlin palic..j' .. us a 5ign of weakness were "shortsighted and dangerous."

DECEMBER 17, 1962 - President Kennedy in a TV-radio review of his mst two yetlrs in office, said that the United States is <"better off with the Khrushcbev View" of worM problems "than " we are with the Chinese CommUllist view." President Kennedy" j weut on to say that the arms blockade of Cuba was about th~_L

only course available to tIle U.S. al the tinlO.

DECEMBER 18, 1982 - Attorney James B. Donovan returned to Havulla to re~nme negotiations for th.. rdf'asc of tbe prisoners cnptured in the abortive Cnban invasion of 1981. The U.S. governmenJ WtlS reported to have worked out a plan whereby contributions in 'kind lly private corporations wonld be treated as tax dednctible cbaritable contributious.