The Cuban Missile Crisis

(October Crisis), 1962

Alejandro Gutierrez and Carlos R. Garcia
 Three Men Decide Our Fate

Fidel Castro
Cuba
President Nikita Krushchev
General Secretary of
John F. Kennedy the Central
United States Committee of the
President Communist Party of
the Soviet Union
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp6FQvVLUos

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS - THREE

MEN GO TO WAR | The Scariest
Speech Ever Given | PBS
October 22, 1962
The Beginning

1955 U.S moves nuclear

missiles to Turkey.
1959, Fidel Castro overthrows
Battista (US-backed dictator),
establishing Communist
government and takes over
U.S Business.
1961, U.S breaks off
diplomatic relations and start
of Bay of pigs. 1,400 anti-
Cuban exiles attempt to
overthrow Castro.
 October Timeline
14 October 1962, US U2 spy plane takes photos of
suspected USSR missile sites on Cuba. Sites nearing
completion, experts believe they could be ready in 7
days
15 October US spy planes identify 20 Soviet ships
bound for Cuba carrying missiles
20 October, Kennedy decides to blockade Cuba
22 October, Kennedy publicly calls on Khrushchev to
remove weapons
23 October Khrushchev refuses to acknowledge
blockade or presence of Soviet missiles on Cuba
24 October, 1st Soviet ships (accompanied by
submarine) approach 800 km exclusion zone
 October Timeline
cont.
24 October, 10:32 am, Soviet ships stop and turn round
25 October, aerial photos show continued construction
of missile sites
27 October, Kennedy receives second letter calling for
withdrawal of US missiles in Turkey too
27 October, US U2 plane shot down over Cuba & pilot
killed. Kennedy decides to ignore second letter, but
accepts terms of 1st letter
28 October, Khrushchev agrees to dismantle Soviet
missiles in Cuba
 Cuba
Cuba as a Communist state
Cuba provided a launch base for USSR inter-continental missiles
(ICMs)
Khrushchev wanted to test strength of new US president,
Khrushchev wanted to force JFK into bargaining over US missile in
Europe
 United States
President Kennedy demanded the removal of the missiles in Cuba
and worked towards a diplomatic settlement
Kennedy approved a naval quarantine (blockade) of Cuba to
prevent Soviets from completing the missile bases
Kennedy negotiated removal of US missiles in Turkey and Italy if
Soviets removed missiles in Cuba
Khrushchev removed the missiles
Fun fact-Secretary of State Dean Rusk said, Remember when
you report this, the eyeball to eyeball, they blinked first.
 Soviet Union
Khrushchev lost prestige and power
Asked to have U.S. Jupiter missiles
removed from Turkey
Something you might not know-
Past and Present Leaders

Present