AP World History POD #25 – American Supremacy Crisis In Cuba

Class Discussion Notes Bulliet – “The Race for Nuclear Supremacy”, pp

Nuclear Proliferation  “The terrible devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by atomic weapons framed the strategic decisions in the Korean and Vietnamese wars. In both cases the United States took care not to expand the wars and challenge the Soviet Union or China (nuclear power from 1964). The Soviet Union had exploded its first nuclear device in The United States claimed a new advantage when it exploded a more powerful hydrogen bomb in 1952, but the Soviet Union followed suit less than a year later. In a world deeply scared by two world wars, the threat of nuclear war spread despair around the world.” (Bulliet, p. 855)

M.A.D.  Mutually Assured Destruction  Plan calling for a response to a nuclear attack by one side with an immediate counterattack  Both sides would be destroyed along with much of the rest of the world  Pre-Emptive Strike – an American opinion that striking first provided the best chance for victory and survival

Superpower Posturing  United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower – warned the Soviet Union that should they attack western Europe the USA would reduce the USSR to “a smoking, radiating ruin as the end of two hours”  Soviet Union Premier Nikita Khrushchev “We will bury you” – a great sound byte that was really a reference to economics

“Open Skies” Program  As a way to ease distrust and tension between the two nations, the United States proposed allowing surveillance flights over each nation  The Soviet Union rejected this plan, leading the American public and government to assume they were trying to protect their missile advantage which was assumed to be at least 200 more missiles than the United States  Current historical research indicates that the Soviet Union rejected this plan as a way to hide their military and nuclear weapons as they had only 8 functional and operation missiles

Bay of Pigs “In 1959, Fidel Castro came to power in an armed revolt that overthrew Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. The U.S. government distrusted Castro and was wary of his relationship with Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union. Before his inauguration, John F. Kennedy was briefed on a plan by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) developed during the Eisenhower administration to train Cuban exiles for an invasion of their homeland. The plan anticipated that the Cuban people and elements of the Cuban military would support the invasion. The ultimate goal was the overthrow of Castro and the establishment of a non-communist government friendly to the United States.” Source –

Consequences of the Bay of Pigs  As American CIA involvement was discovered President John F. Kennedy withdrew support for the second wave of attacks led by the USA  Castro’s army would fight back and captured most of the rebel invaders  Castro would turn to the Soviet Union for assistance and protection  Nuclear missiles stationed in Cuba were thought to be an effective tool in deterring future attacks

Discovering Missiles August 31: Senator Kenneth Keating tells the Senate that there is evidence of Soviet missile installations in Cuba September 11: Soviet Foreign Minister, Andrei Gromyko, warns that an American attack on Cuba could mean war with the Soviet Union October 14 : A U-2 flying over western Cuba obtains photographs of missile sites Source - crisis-timeline.htm Source - crisis-timeline.htm

Confronting the Soviets October : The Joint Chiefs of Staff strongly advise Kennedy to make an air strike ( the discussions are referred to as the EX-COMM's ) October 18: Gromyko assures Kennedy that Soviet Cuban aid has been only for the "defensive capabilities of Cuba." October 22: Congressional leaders are shown the photographic evidence of the Soviet missile Cuban installations and the President addresses the nation regarding the Cuban crisis October 22: U.S. military forces go to DEFCON 3 October 23: Kennedy receives a letter from Khrushchev in which Khrushchev states that there is a, "serious threat to peace and security of peoples." Robert Kennedy speaks with Ambassador Dobrynin Source - timeline.htm Source - timeline.htm

Brinksmanship October 24: Soviet ships, en route to Cuba, reverse their course except for one. US Military forces go to DEFCON 2 October 25: JFK sends a letter to Khrushchev placing the responsibility for the crisis on the Soviet Union October 26: Khrushchev sends a letter to President Kennedy proposing to remove his missiles if Kennedy publicly announces never to invade Cuba October 27: An American U-2 is shot down over Cuba killing the pilot, Major Rudolf Anderson October 27: A U-2 strays into Soviet airspace, near Alaska, and is nearly intercepted by Soviet fighters Source - timeline.htm Source - timeline.htm

Resolution October 27: Kennedy sends Khrushchev a letter stating that he will make a statement that the U.S. will not invade Cuba if Khrushchev removes the missiles from Cuba October 28: Khrushchev announces over Radio Moscow that he has agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba In return the US agrees to the withdrawal of US nuclear missiles from Turkey ending the Cuban Missile Crisis Source - crisis-timeline.htm Source - crisis-timeline.htm

Nuclear Nonproliferation  “Fear of a nuclear holocaust produced an international effort to limit proliferation. In 1963 Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union agreed to ban the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, in space, and under water, reducing the danger of radioactive fallout. In the 1968 the United States and Soviet Union together proposed a world treaty against further proliferation, leading ultimately to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treat (NPT) signed by 137 countries. Not until 1972, however, did the two superpowers begin the arduous and extremely slow process of negotiating weapons limits.” (Bulliet, p. 855)