The Cold War Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis 14 Days of fear. A Quick History and Breakdown of the Crisis Communications Used

What Was the Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis was the closest the world ever came to nuclear war. The United States armed forces were at their highest state of readiness ever and Soviet field commanders in Cuba were prepared to use battlefield nuclear weapons to defend the island if it was invaded. This could have been the beginnings of World War III

Who Was Involved/ Why? The Soviets Wanted a strategic missile deployment site against the US because they were far behind the Americans in Missile Technology. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev conceived the idea of placing intermediate-range missiles in Cuba. Fidel Castro wanted protection from the possibility of another invasion from the United States. The Americans Had better Missile Technology and had a missile site set up in Turkey only 150 miles away from the USSR

What Caused It? The Americans discovered the launch site in Cuba when reconnaissance photographs revealed Soviet missiles under construction in Cuba. The date was October 15, 1962 Thus beginning the Cuban Missile Crisis. The two super powers were entangled in a stalemate because neither wanted to be the cause of a nuclear strike or be on the receiving end of one. The negotiations between the two lasted for 14 days. Neither Kennedy or Khrushchev wanted to appear weak in the crisis so it was hard to negotiate the conditions of ending hostilities.

The End Of the Crisis The Crisis ended with both sides getting what they wanted without appearing too weak. The American’s got the medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) out of Cuba. The Soviets got the removal of the US missile site which was located in Turkey. Cuba received the guarantee of no invasion of Cuba

The Communications Breakdown We took a look at The Cuban Missile Crisis Via Crisis Communications.

Crisis Communication In Organizational Communication: Deals with how organizations operate internally & externally.  External: JFK has to communicate to public about the gravity of the situation JFK has to keep peace during time of conflict. Internal: JFK has to discuss what to do with US/government. JFK has to reach agreement with Khrushchev/Soviet Union.

Communication Issues JFK has to talk with Soviet Union premier Nikita Khrushchev JFK has to address issue to public. October 22, 1962. Day 8 of the crisis JFK addresses the American people and explained the situation that was happening in Cuba. This is the first any one outside of the white house has heard anything about the crisis.

Crisis Must Be: Specific- US and Soviet's were about to bomb each other. Create uncertainty- US citizens are not sure if they are going to be attacked Be seen as a threat- National Security and many lives were at stake. (Seeger, Sellnow, Ulmer)

Stay Specific Being specific - "ballistic missiles, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead...capable of striking Washington, D. C., the Panama Canal, Cape Canaveral, Mexico City, or any other city in the southeastern part of the United States, in Central America, or in the Caribbean area."

Show Uncertainty Showing uncertainty- "No one can foresee precisely what course it will take or what costs or casualties will be incurred."

The Threat Be seen as a threat- " the greatest danger of all would be to do nothing."

Time to Wrap it Up!!! The Cuban missile crisis was indeed a Crisis!!! Communication was happening both internally (Whitehouse and Soviet officials) and externally (Address to the Public) JFK’s Speech to the people was done properly by enforcing three tactics in Crisis Comm. He stayed Specific He displayed uncertainty in the issue He Emphasized the threat