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Missles are discovered in Cuba
President Kennedy is informed of the presence of Russian ICBMs (intercontinental Balistic Missile) in Cuba. A meeting with advisors offers two options: an airstrike and invasion, or a quarantine with the threat of further military action. Kennedy remained on his normal schedule to avoid worrying the public. -
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The Cuban Missle Crisis
The thirteen days, in which heightened tensions between the United States and USSR over missles in Cuba almost lead to all out nuclear war -
US respond to missles in Cuba
US forces are moved to the southeast most bases and U-2 planes uncover more sites. Shots reveal up to 32 missles are discovered, thoughts of naval quarantine expand. Kennedy remains on normal schedule, all seems fine to the public. -
Kennedy meets with Soviet foreign minister
President Kennedy meets with Soviet foreign minister Andrei Gromyko and is assured that the missiles in Cuba are purely defensive, and the US has nothing to fear. Kennedy, without revealing what he knows of the existence of the missiles, reads to Gromyko his public warning of September 4 that the "gravest consequences" would follow if significant Soviet offensive weapons were introduced into Cuba. -
Kennedy meets to discuss defensive strategies
President Kennedey meets with the Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, and the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to discuss military options. He then departs for a scheduled campaign in Ohio and Illinois -
Kennedey returns to Washington
Kennedey suddenly returns to Washington as the crisis reaches a new high. After 5 hours of discussion a naval quarantine is decided upon, and plans are drawn up. Kennedey begins drafting a speech to notify the American people. -
Destruction of missles is discussed
Naval quarantine is finalized and prepares for deployment, and president Kennedy meets with General Walter Sweeny who tells him an airstrike would guarantee total missile destruction. -
Kennedey meets with the Dudes
President Kennedy phones former Presidents Hoover, Truman and Eisenhower to brief them on the situation. Meetings to coordinate all actions continue. Kennedy formally establishes the Executive Committee of the National Security Council and instructs it to meet daily during the crisis. Kennedy briefs the cabinet and congressional leaders on the situation. Kennedy also informs British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan of the situation by telephone. President Kennedy adresses the public. -
Naval Quarantine
The ships of the naval quarantine fleet move into place around Cuba. Soviet submarines threaten the quarantine by moving into the Caribbean area. Soviet freighters bound for Cuba with military supplies stop dead in the water, but the oil tanker Bucharest continues towards Cuba. In the evening Robert Kennedy meets with Ambassador Dobrynin at the Soviet Embassy. President Kennedy asks Khrushchev to halt any Russian ships heading toward Cuba. -
Russia responds to US
Chairman Khrushchev replies indignantly to President Kennedy's October 23 letter stating in part: "You, Mr. President, are not declaring a quarantine, but rather are setting forth an ultimatum and threatening that if we do not give in to your demands you will use force. Consider what you are saying! And you want to persuade me to agree to this! What would it mean to agree to these demands? It would mean guiding oneself in one's relations with other countries not by reason, but by submitting to.. -
US debates with Russia
Kennedy drafts a letter to Premier Khrushchev, again urging for a change in course. Much public debate between the United States and the Soviet Union took place in the halls of the United Nations. During the debate in the Security Council, the normally courteous U.S. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson aggressively confronted his Soviet U.N. counterpart Valerian Zorin with photographic evidence of the missiles in Cuba. -
Missle construction is accelerated
Photographic evidence show accelerated construction of Missle sights in Cuba. Fidel Castro urges Nikita Khrushchev to initiate a nuclear first strike against the United States in the event of an American invasion of Cuba. Discussions of removing the missles begin. -
Black Saturday
An American U-2 plane is shot down, and the pilot killed. Nuclear war seems likely until a decision is reached between Kennedy and Ambassador Anatoly Dobryninthat night. The Soviet Union will withdraw the missiles from Cuba under United Nations supervision in exchange for an American pledge not to invade Cuba. In an additional secret understanding, the United States agrees to eventually remove the Jupiter missiles from Turkey. -
The scare is over
Broadcasts go out from both nations that an agreement has been reached. Khrushchev letter affirming that the missiles will be removed in exchange for a non-invasion pledge from the United States. Plans for the removal of missles begin.
