The Cuban Missile Crisis - 5937 Words

The Cuban Missile Crisis The world was at the edge of a third world war. This was the result of a variety of things: the Cuban Revolution, the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion, US anti-communism, insecurity of the Soviet Union, and Cubas fear of invasion all made causes for war. However, war was not the result due to great cooperation from both President Kennedy and President Khrushchev and each of the decisions made by the leaders was crucial in the outcome of The Crisis. Kennedys choice to take action by means of quarantine instead of air-strike and Khrushchevs decision to abide by the quarantines were perhaps the two most significant decisions made by the leaders in order to prevent war. The Cuban Missile Crisis showed the†¦show more content†¦The Americans thought this would work because a similar plan was executed in Guatemala that was a terrific success. However, the Americans had miscalculated and the failure of the invasion was humiliating. Castro was much more popular than the CIA had th ought, and an army American sponsored attack would actually enrage most Cubans, at the same time improving the position of the leader, Castro. Even anti-Castro habaneros in Cuba would defend Cuba out of nationalistic pride. This, the Americans had all misjudged. The Bay of Pigs invasion had been drawn up by President Eisenhower, but John.F.Kennedy approved the CIA plan soon after taking control. The thought of this pleasant land becoming Stalinist disturbed [Kennedy], like seeing a treasured childhood retreat decay into tawdry slumdom overrun by rowdy toughs.4 On April 17, 1400 members of Cuban exiles came from Nicaragua. They landed in the Bay of Pigs, were discovered my local milita and were forced to open fire. The crucial tactic for America was the element of surprise, and that was now gone. Fidel had actually learnt of the invasion at 3:15am that day and prepared an army and rounded up CIA agents and journalists. By the 18th, just the next day, the invasion was doomed. The brig ade pleaded with Kennedy for aerial support but he declined. Defeat of the Americans came on the 19th, with 1,100 prisoners left in Cuba. The Bay of Pigs invasion was aShow MoreRelatedThe Cuban Missile Crisis1149 Words   |  5 Pagescausing a civil war. Both the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War illustrate the United States attempt to combat communism. The Cuban Missile Crisis in the prevention of a nuclear war. Whereas the Vietnam War ultimately curtailed the spread of communism. (CMC) During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the U.S was trying to prevent a nuclear war, and attempting to contain the hostility between the U.S and the Soviet Union. In 1962, an American U2 plane spotted a Russian missile site being built with shortRead MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis1188 Words   |  5 Pageseven know. Topic Sentence: The Cuban missile was a crazy time. It happened some fifty years ago when John F. Kennedy was president. It was when one of U.S. spy plane caught Soviet Union trying to sneak some nuclear missiles into Cuba that was ninety miles off the United States’ coast. Soon enough president Kennedy had to talk to one of their leaders about what are they doing with the missiles and if they do not remove it there will be a war. The Cuban missile crisis happened during the Cold War betweenRead MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis1495 Words   |  6 PagesKennedy was made aware of Soviet missiles in Cuba. This was the testing ground, the closest the world has ever been to nuclear war, the Cuban Missile Crisis, 16-28 October, 1962. The future for millions of lives depended upon the ability of United States President John F. Kennedy and Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev to reach an agreement in which both did not lose face, and more importantly, the world survived. The events leading up to the Cuban Missile Crisis, as explained by Sheldon M. SternRead MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis Essay2455 Words   |  10 PagesThe Cuban Missile Crisis bought the world closer to extinction than ever before. It was through the decisive actions of newly elected president John F Kennedy and then premier of the USSR Nikita Khrushchev that the confrontation did not escalate into all out nuclear war. The Cuban Missile Crisis lasted for 13 days, it was predicated on the fact that the Soviet Union was placing intercontinental ballistic missiles on the island country of Cuba which is just off the coast of the United States nearRead MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis1016 Words   |  4 Pages Events leading up to this potential catastrophic war was the Cuban Revolution, the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion, US anti-communism, insecurity of the Soviet Union, and Cubas fear of invasion. Thankfully, the conflict was avoided due to great cooperation from both President J ohn F. Kennedy of the United States and Soviet Union leader, Nikita Khrushchev. Each decision made by each leader was vital in the outcome of The Crisis. Kennedys choice to take action by methods of quarantine insteadRead MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis2013 Words   |  9 PagesInvestigation The purpose of this investigation is to establish the extent to which there was a victor at the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. This investigation will evaluate the position of both Khrushchev and Kennedy after the crisis in order to draw the victor. Looking into the intentions and goals of USA and the USSR leading up to, during, and recently after the crisis to determine the true victor, in between the years 1959 and 1979. Sources that will be used in this investigation includeRead MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis2100 Words   |  9 PagesThe Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban missile crisis was the most dangerous of the Cold War, but it still involves the two main superpower enemies; Russia and America, only this time Cuba got involved too. The Cold War happened because Read MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis Essay3251 Words   |  14 Pageswar. Looking back now, I realize the Cuban Missile Crisis was an extreme pivotal moment in the Cold War. 6 months ago my own country, the United States of America, had never been so close to Armageddon with the Soviet Union. On October 16th, 1962 I was informed that the CIA’s National Photographic Interpretation Centre had reviewed findings from U-2 aircraft photographs and had identified objects that were soon to be interpreted as medium range ballistic missiles. The U-2 flight, piloted by MajorRead MoreThe Cuban Missile Crisis Essay1292 Words   |  6 Pagesinevitable to the world, it was the first time nuclear war was hanging on a thread. The Cuban Missile Crisis presented a threat to the world, in which the USSR planted nuclear missiles on Cuba. America’s response was to threaten launching nuclear missiles at the Russians. This incident launched the world into a new time, which presented nuclear weapons as a source of power. The incident of the Cuban Missile Crisis still connects with us today because the power nuclear weapons present, which providesRead MoreCuban Missile Crisis Essay1203 Words   |  5 PagesThe Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13 day political and military deadlock in 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union. It appeared that the Soviet Union was installing nuclear missiles in Cuba, and it was the closest the United States has ever came to a nuclear war. Using the movie, 13 Days, the Cuban Missile Crisis is explained and compared to the actual event. The crisis was led to by the Cold War. The Cold War was a period between 1947 and 1991 of geopolitical tension between the corrupted