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Castro Claims Any U.S. Attack on Cuba Means...World War?
The United States does not want to cause another world war. Can the same be said of Cuba and the Soviet Union? Fidel Castro announces to the world that any attack from the U.S., however slight, is an official act of war. It also appears that Cuba and the USSR have teamed up to support each other as each have similar values and ideologies. But just as Castro and Khrushchev are eager to protect their communist way of life, the U.S. is prepared to pull out all the stops in defense of democracy. -
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The Cuban Missile Crisis Over the Months of 1962
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This Means War: Gromyko Advises U.S. to Back Off
Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko warns the U.S. to take some caution in his speech to the United Nations. As Castro declared back in July, any American attack on Cuba would directly result in a war with both Cuba and the Soviet Union. It seems as though we are barely hanging on by a thread here with Cuba, and even one small step forward could result in a worldwide crisis with hundreds of thousands, if not millions of casualties on both sides. -
Nukes in Our Backyard? Missile Sites are Found in Cuba
On a clear Sunday morning, a U-2 flight takes detailed photographs showing proof of the installation of medium-range nuclear weapons in Cuba.These weapons were strong enough to hit our major cities, wiping out millions of Americans within just a few swift moments. The U-2 photographs confirm what Americans had suspected for quite some time: that the Soviet Union was constructing offensive nuclear missile sites in Cuba. Now the U.S. has the proof that they need to handle relations with Cuba. -
Campaigning in Connecticut and an Important Airport Meeting
The president travels to Bridgeport, Connecticut to campaign for the Democratic Party and for candidate Abe Ribicoff. Robert Kennedy and Theodore Sorensen report to JFK at the airport to inform him on what he missed during his campaign adventures. Most importantly, EX-COMM discusses the situation in Cuba. Due to the missile sites that were found, The Joint Chiefs of Staff along with the Air Force demand another air strike. Not surprisingly, later that night, IRBMs SS5 nuclear missiles are found. -
Quarantine It Is
The president receives some advice from General Maxwell D. Taylor. He warns that an air strike on Cuba alone will not be enough to destroy all missiles there. JFK listens wisely and instead orders a quarantine on Cuba for the meantime. Even the president admits to the persistent press that he is unsure of the Soviet Union's next move, but he anticipates some kind of surprise element from their side. Just one day later, the president will announce news of the quarantine to his nation. -
A Meeting at the White House and The President on TV
Leaders of congress assemble at the White House with the president where they are shown the photographic proof of Soviet missile installations in Cuba. Congress overwhelmingly expresses support for action against Cuba, while some propose that the U.S. should provide a stronger retaliation. The president appears on national television, announcing to America the news of the quarantine against Cuba, and warns Khrushchev to halt the production of missile bases or face ultimate consequences. -
Suspicious Ships
Soviet ships are spotted heading towards Cuba with some not-so-friendly-looking cargo as they near the line of U.S. vessels enforcing the blockade. Fortunately for the U.S., the ships stopped just short of the blockade. Who knows what kind of disaster would have unfolded if the Soviets crossed the line; this proved to be another dangerously close call for America. Meanwhile, the U.S. military moves up the latter into DEFCON 2, the highest ever recorded in American history. -
Dear Mr. Khrushchev...
Kennedy makes Khrushchev his pen pal when he sends a letter to the leader, essentially arguing that the current crisis was caused by the Soviet Union. The president expresses the betrayal he felt by Khrushchev, who assured the U.S. back in September that there would be no offensive weapons sent to Cuba. Within just a few weeks of that assurance, Khrushchev clearly proves himself not to be the promise-keeping type. Meanwhile, EX-COMM discusses the proposal of removing U.S. missiles from Turkey. -
Anderson's Down and the President's Got Mail
United States Air Force Major Rudolf Anderson becomes the first and only combatant fatality of the Cuban Missile Crisis. His U-2 plane was flying over Cuba when he was shot down by a surface-to-air missile. The Joint Chiefs advise JFK that the U.S. should attack Cuba within 36 hours to destroy the Soviet missiles. In spite of this, a hopeful promise for peace emerges when a new letter from Khrushchev arrives, in which he proposes a trade deal of missiles in Cuba for U.S. missiles in Turkey. -
Khrushchev Caves (Finally)
At about 5:00 pm Moscow time, Radio Moscow broadcasts the text of the message Khrushchev sent to JFK. The Soviet Leader agrees to remove the missiles from Cuba, surprisingly conveying compassion and understanding for the U.S. when he tells the president that he regards "with great understanding [his] concern and the concern of the United States people..." In exchange for the removal of missiles from Cuba, the U.S. promises not to invade Cuba and also agrees to extract all missiles from Turkey.
