The crisis-point of the Cold War – world came closest to self-destruction.
CAUSES
1. Superpower Tension
◦ ‘Peaceful competition’ vs. Kennedy’s tough stance / Space race, arms race, nuclear testing / US funding of anti-Communists in Vietnam & Laos / Failed Vienna summit (1961), Berlin Wall.
2. Fidel Castro’s Cuba
◦ Castro took power (1959) → threat to USA (too close).
◦ 1960: Castro-Russia agreement (Cuban sugar for Russian oil, machines).
◦ → US feared Soviet influence → US stopped trade → Cuba
US-owned companies.
3. The
◦ Apr 1961: CIA-backed Cuban exiles invaded Cuba → total failure → Kennedy embarrassed.
◦ Sep 1961: Castro asked Russia for weapons → Russia publicly agreed.
4. Missile Discovery
◦ 14 Oct 1962: US U-2 spy-plane photographed a
in Cuba.
◦ US experts: Cuba could launch nukes in 10 days.
EVENTS
14 Oct: Spy-plane took pics of Cuban missile sites.
16 Oct: Kennedy set up
committee.
22 Oct: Kennedy announced naval
of Cuba ( address) → B52 nukes bombers deployed (⅛ airborne always). Russian spy Oleg Penkovsky warns: ‘Soviet attack imminent’.
US secretly offered to remove Turkey-based missiles.
26 Oct: Russia still building bases → US planned attack.
6pm: Khrushchev’s 1st
: Russia would remove missiles if US lifted blockade & promised not to invade Cuba (“the other fellow
”).
Kennedys met Russian ambassador → again mentioned Turkey missiles.
27 Oct: 2nd Khrushchev
: demanded US also dismantle Turkey missiles.
U-2 plane
over Cuba → world on edge.
Kennedy
both the plane incident & 2nd letter.
Replies to 1st letter: US lifts blockade & won’t invade if Russia dismantles Cuban missiles.
Secretly agreed to remove Turkey nukes.
28 Oct: Khrushchev agreed → crisis ended.
20 Nov: Russian bombers left Cuba → US lifted blockade.
RESULTS
1. Khrushchev lost prestige: Humiliating failure → China broke from Russia.
2. Kennedy gained prestige: Seen as hero who faced down Russia.
3. US ‘Containment’ and ‘’ weakened:
◦ France made trade treaty w. Russia (1964), left NATO (1966).
◦ Willy Brandt (W. Germany, 1964) → ‘’ (better relations w. E. Germany).
4. Treaty (Aug 1963):
◦ Both sides scared → agreed to limit nuke tests.
◦ Jun 1963: Kennedy gave speech praising Soviet efforts, calling for peace.
◦ Crisis = start of Cold War’s end.
5. ‘’ set up (30 Aug 1963): Direct US–Russia phone link for future crises.
6. Cuba stayed Communist: US left it alone.
The crisis-point of the Cold War – world came closest to self-destruction.
CAUSES
1. Superpower Tension
◦ ‘Peaceful competition’ vs. Kennedy’s tough stance / Space race, arms race, nuclear testing / US funding of anti-Communists in Vietnam & Laos / Failed Vienna summit (1961), Berlin Wall.
2. Fidel Castro’s Cuba
◦ Castro took power (1959) → threat to USA (too close).
