The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 Short Summary

 

The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 was a nuclear conflict between the USA and the Soviet Union.

Background:
It was, in fact, a cold war between socialism and capitalism. Thus, America's attempt to remove Fidel Castro from power in Cuba failed. Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet leader, and Fidel Castro, the leader of Cuba, came to an agreement to station Soviet nuclear weapons in Cuba to deter any future American invasion. Unfortunately, US intelligence learned about it. As a result, a nuclear war between two superpowers was almost inevitable.

The Cuban crisis of 1962:

Two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, entered into a cold war after World War Two. In an effort to combat socialism, America invaded Cuba in 1961 to overthrow Fidel Castro's socialist regime.

Fidel Castro, the president of Cuba, and Nikita Khrushchev, the premier of the Soviet Union, reached an agreement to prevent similar American aggression in the future. The deal gave the Soviets permission to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba.

However, the American U-2 aircraft discovered some nuclear plants and construction areas while flying over Cuba. Maps and images of the locations were displayed at the White House. It was figured out that nearly 90 kilometres separated the Soviet Union's nuclear arsenals in Cuba from the United States.

On September 4, 1962, after careful deliberation, President John F. Kennedy issued a warning against the placement of armaments in Cuba. Kennedy warned Khrushchev in a harsh letter that the US would never allow Cuba to receive nuclear weapons and demanded that the Soviet Union dismantle any missile bases that were under construction or already operational.

Kennedy also spoke on television about the dire repercussions for the globe if the situation in Cuba persisted. In fact, the tone of these messages was so harsh that it could provoke the Monroe Doctrine.

Kennedy's message was replied to by Khrushchev as an act of aggression. Thus, the Kennedy administration received a message from Khrushchev the following day demanding that American missiles be removed from Turkey.

Unfortunately, a U.S. plane was shot down over Cuba on that same day. The United States accused the Soviet Union of firing it, which led to an unavoidable conflict.

Kennedy decided the only course of action was a naval blockade of Cuba. John Kennedy declared a "quarantine" on Cuba on October 22, 1962.

Over this period, the Kennedy administration started to get ready to attack Cuba.

John F. Kennedy once again guaranteed the Soviet Union that Cuba would not be attacked while demanding that their missiles be removed under the supervision of the UN.

Finally, the lengthy communication process was successful. Antoly Dobrynin, the Soviet ambassador, and Attorney General Robert Kennedy met in private to discuss a potential solution before coming to an agreement.

The Soviets agreed to evacuate their nuclear missiles from Cube the next day in exchange for an American agreement to withdraw its Jupiter missile from Turkey.

The tension between the  superpowers was later relieved when Kennedy and Khrushchev separately proclaimed an accord. In this regard, a hotline was established between the USA and the USSR to allow for immediate contact regarding upcoming events.

This incident brought the two  superpowers and the entire globe dangerously close to nuclear conflict.

 

Questions &Answers: 

Q: What happened in the Cuban Crisis of 1962?
A: The Soviets' installation of missiles in Cuba in 1962 was the main cause of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Since missile sites were just about 90 kilometres from the United States, America expressed concern about such a collaborative effort between Cuba and the Soviet Union. An agreement was finally reached after effective negotiation in which the Soviet Union agreed to remove missiles from Cuba in exchange for the United States removing Jupiter missiles from Turkey.

Q: Who won the Cuban Missile Crisis1962?
A: America obviously won during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis by getting the missiles it wanted out of Cuba, albeit at the expense of getting the Jupiter missile out of Turkey.

Q: How did the Cuban Missile Crisis end?
A: On October 28, Khrushchev said that the Soviets would dismantle and remove missiles from Cuba. Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Soviet Ambassador Antoly Dobrynin met privately to establish a workable solution. The USA followed suit, but the quarantine was lifted on November 20, 1962.

Q: When was Cuba's quarantine declared?
A: On October 22, 1962, American President John F. Kennedy declared a naval embargo on Cuba. Cuba was placed under quarantine in order to warn against the installation of the Soviets.