Describe the events of the Cuba crisis, 1962

The Cuba crisis was when humankind almost destroyed itself.  A film, Thirteen Days, has been made about the crisis. 

The crisis had its roots in 1959, when the Communist Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba.  It certainly went back to April 1961 when the CIA supported an attempt by anti-Castro Cuban exiles to invade Cuba.  The Bay of Pigs invasion failed miserably, but its result was that, in September 1961, Castro asked for – and Russia publicly promised – weapons to defend Cuba against America. 

On 14 October 1962, an American U2 spy-plane took pictures of a nuclear missile base being built on Cuba.  On 16 October, Kennedy set up a Committee of the National Security Council to advise him.  Kennedy’s advisers told him he had 10 days before Cuba could fire the missiles at targets in America.  If established, they would be able to hit new York and Chicago. 

What was the US government to do? Tapes exist of their discussions – it considered doing nothing, appealing to the UN, a conventional attack, and even a nuclear strike.  In the end, on 22 October, Kennedy announced that he was mounting a naval blockade of Cuba. 

The Soviets reacted violently.  In a letter dated 23 October, Khrushchev accused America of piracy, and of trying to provoke a war which would annihilate humankind.  He warned that Russia would get ready ‘a fitting reply to the aggressor’.  20 Russian ships were heading for Cuba.  The world held its breath. 

On 24 October, the first Russian ship reached the naval blockade.  It was an oil ship and was allowed through.  The other Russian ships (thought to be carrying missiles) turned back. 

However, the crisis was not over.  Russia was still building the missile bases.  On 26 October, Khrushchev sent a telegram to Kennedy, offering to dismantle the sites if Kennedy would lift the blockade and agree not to invade Cuba.  Then, on 27 October, before Kennedy could reply, Khrushchev sent another letter, demanding that Kennedy also dismantle American missile bases in Turkey.  On the same day, a U2 plane was shot down over Cuba. 

27 October, therefore, was the crisis point; it looked as if war was about to happen. 

Kennedy ignored the plane incident.  He also ignored Khrushchev’s second letter – he wrote simply that would lift the blockade and agree not to invade Cuba if Khrushchev would dismantle the missile bases.  What the world did not know at the time was that, secretly, he had told Khrushchev that he intended to dismantle the American missile bases in Turkey. 

On 28 October, Khrushchev agreed the deal.  The crisis finished.  On 20 November, the Russian bombers left Cuba, and Kennedy lifted the naval blockade.