Cuban Missile Crisis Essay Example

October is a month often spent celebrating Halloween. In 1962, for President John F. Kennedy and the rest of the United States, Halloween would be the last thing on their minds. What began as American planes capturing incriminating aerial pictures of Cuba, soon turned into the most stressful thirteen days JFK and his cabinet would ever endure. Due to an agreement between Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and Cuban leader Fidel Castro, the U.S.S.R. began placing ballistic missiles in range of American soil. Once the press got word of it, panic erupted throughout the country. In a desperate attempt to prevent a nuclear war, the Cuban Missile Crisis became known as the most dangerous “hot spot” of the Cold War. Yes, a national calamity, but an event that would affect the courses of action politicians would take in conflicts, for years to come. The Cuban Missile Crisis should be remembered as the precedent for diplomacy. 

The Cold War is known as the rivalry that formed between the United States and the Soviet Union, including their respective allies, following the end of World War II. An accumulation of the Korean War, nuclear weapons being made, military rivalries, and most importantly the scare of communism, all contributed to the Cold War’s birth. With our own weapons and missiles stationed around the Soviet Union, it shouldn’t have come as such a surprise when word of them militarizing Cuba spread. Pictures taken from American U-2 planes (Document A) flying over Cuba, revealed SSM missiles launch sites banes on September 26, 1962. The pictures show unoperational missiles being made ready to launch, including transporters across the island. With the burning question in every official's mind, it didn’t take long to map out just how dangerous the placement of these missiles actually were. In declassified CIA information (Document B), the Soviet missile range shows how far these ballistics would be able to reach, once operational. Their short-range missiles would destroy every part of the southeast, including Washington D.C.; while their long-range would eliminate everything short of Seattle. This alarming discovery, and threat to the entire country, earned the national crisis it’s name. 

With the Soviet Union's threats to the entire country’s existence, something had to be done. How the United States reacted, and more importantly how fast they reacted, would define the future of America; be it a future at all after this debacle ended. In their first attempt at diplomacy, each party had to understand the other more. Why was this happening now, and what was the goal behind it? Neither side wanted another nuclear war to begin, but both sides knew they had the power to start one. President John F. Kennedey reiterates this statement in his inaugural address on January 20th, 1961 (Document C). Preventing a nuclear war wasn’t completely out of the picture though, which JFK makes crystal clear in his first direct communication with Premier Khrushchev (Document G), on October 22, 1962. He states “...one thing that has most concerned me has been the possibility that your Government would not correctly understand the will and determination of the United States in any given situation… the United States would do whatever must be done to protect its own security and that of its allies.” It’s vital that the Soviet Union knows the threat behind his words, for the sake of both countries' safety. He makes it known that if preventable it will be prevented, but also that America is willing to do whatever we have to, in order to protect our country. 

It doesn’t take long for the Soviets to respond, five days after their first disclosure to be exact. Negotiations are two-sided, and their agreement is necessary for their diplomatic goal to be reached. On October 27th, 1962, Premier Krushchev wrote a letter to President Kennedy (Document L). Bluntly outlining America’s weak argument, Krushchev states, “Do you consider, then, that you have the right to demand security for your own country and the removal of the weapons you call offensive, but do not accord the same right to us?” How is it fair, according to the Soviet leader, that America is allowed to surround the Soviet Union with military bases and missiles, but in return expect them to remove any potential threats to their own country? On October 28th, 1962, in one of the final messages Premier Krushchev sent to President Kennedy (Document M), he declared his last position; “...if you do not want this to happen, it would [be] better if no cause is given for a dangerous situation to arise… Therefore, we must display sanity, reason, and refrain from such steps…” Krushchev can’t agree to any deals, or more importantly instruct his officers to discontinue construction of the missiles in Cuba, with threats still arising from American forces. The accord is unobtainable if the U.S. gives the Soviets no security in return, which puts America in a trying position. 

In a final attempt to end this international catastrophe, both countries begin to put plans into motion. Granted the United states was responding to a threat, their course of action was voiced first. At first, and irrationally, they believed eliminating the threat all together would solve the crisis faster than diplomacy. In a declassified transcription from a meeting at the White House, held on October 16th, 1962, word of a possible airstrike on Cuba began (Document D). By eliminating the presence of these missiles, we would eliminate their physical threat to the United States, and the rest of the entire Western Hemisphere. With this surprise attack though, we faced a much bigger problem. In declassified minutes from an NSC intelligence briefing, held on October 20th, 1962 (Document F), Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara stated just those consequences. McNamara warned, “Such an attack would result in several thousand Russians being killed, chaos in Cuba, and efforts to overthrow the Castro government.” He believed that the ambush would at best only destroy two-thirds of the missiles and launches; and undoubtedly cause the Soviets to respond with a much greater offense. It was then that the notion of creating a naval blockade became the best course of action. It would prevent the addition of any more ballistic missiles onto the island, and eventually eliminate the ones already waiting to become operational. President Kennedy broadcasted his ideas to the American people on October 23rd, 1962 (Document H). Not only was he stating that the act of halting a buildup of offensive military equipment would be initiated, but he also asked Chairman Krushchev to, “halt and eliminate this clandestine, reckless, and provocative threat to world peace…”. A controversial step, in the direction toward stable relations between the two nations. 

At last, the threat of a third and nuclear war subdued. The Cuban Missile Crisis would finally come to an end. Resulting in America’s promise to never invade Cuba, along with the removal of American missiles from Turkey and Italy; the Soviet Union agreed to end all construction of ballistic missiles in Cuba, as well as remove the ones already constructed. In one of the potentially most-dangerous international affairs, with the thermonuclear war appearing imminent, officials involved were tasked with the hardest decision their positions would ever make. In an incredible act of foreign policy, the Soviet Union and America reached an agreeable solution, without the use of nuclear weapons. Rather, any war or weaponry at all. In a pacifist-favoring conclusion, the Cuban Missile Crisis should be remembered as the precedent for diplomacy.