1. The Cuban Missile Crisis
US Global 10
Riddlebarger

2. 1960 Election John F. Kennedy defeats Richard Nixon in 1960.
JFK becomes the 1st Catholic and the youngest President.

3. Bay of Pigs
Very early on, he becomes embroiled in the Bay of Pigs Invasion.
U.S. trained Cuban- Americans sent to invade Cuba to try to take down government of Communist dictator Fidel Castro

4. Castro’s Cuba
In 1959, Castro-led revolution forces U.S.- backed dictator from power.
Castro establishes 1st Communist government in Western Hemisphere.
Castro aligns himself with Soviet Union.

5. Cuban Invasion
CIA believed an invasion would cause a popular uprising of Cubans against Castro.
JFK saw Castro’s communism as a threat to Latin America & U.S. interests there.
Invasion is a disaster; most invaders killed or captured.
Embarrassment for new president.
Makes Cuban-Soviet alliance stronger.

6. Berlin Wall Berlin remained a hot spot in the Cold War
JFK put troops in West Germany in 1961
Krushchev responds by closing crossing points in Berlin between East and West
Soon, a high concrete wall was in place dividing communist east from democratic west Berlin

7. The Players Soviet Premier: Nikita Krushchev U.S. President:
John F. Kennedy

8. Buildup to the Crisis
Following Bay of Pigs and Berlin Crisis, hardliners in USSR push Krushchev to be more aggressive.
Soviets are concerned about nuclear missiles U.S. placed in Turkey, near their Southwest border
Some Americans continued to push Kennedy for a Cuban invasion.
JFK is blamed for Bay of Pigs disaster and accused of being “soft on communism”.

9. Crisis Begins
Republican pressures on JFK increase as Krushchev provides further aid for Cuba.
Kennedy responds by having U-2 spy planes fly over Cuba
Detect surface-to-air missiles (SAM’s)
Soviets say SAM’s are only defensive weapons & deny placing offensive weapons there.
JFK tells Americans, if untrue, “the gravest issues would arise”.
Oct.14th: U-2 flight captures photo that indicates Soviets have lied.

10. Map of Cuba used during President’s meeting with political and military advisors.

11. U-2 photograph of a truck convoy approaching a deployment of Soviet Medium Range Ballistic Missiles near Los Palacios at San Cristobal.

12. Medium Range Ballistic Missile Field Launch Site, San Cristobal No
Medium Range Ballistic Missile Field Launch Site, San Cristobal No. 1, October 14, 1962

13. CIA briefing board for JFK showing range of Soviet Medium Range Ballistic Missiles

14. CIA reference photograph of Soviet Medium Range Ballistic Missile (SS-4) in Red Square, Moscow.

15. Managing the Crisis JFK assembles top advisors- “Ex Comm”
Military advisors favor an airstrike on Cuba followed by an invasion
Robert Kennedy and others favor blockade of Cuba
Blockade seen as less likely to provoke Soviet missile attack and gives them a chance to pull out their missiles.
Pres. Kennedy agrees and institutes the blockade.

16. 13 Days Oct. 22: JFK goes on TV to tell Americans about the crisis
US military forces go on full alert.
Kennedy wanted to show he was serious.
Oct. 24: Soviet ships carrying missile parts approach blockade but turn back.
Oct. 26: Krushchev offers to pull missiles out of Cuba if U.S. promises not to invade Cuba.
Oct. 27: Krushchev demands missiles out of Turkey.
Ex Comm advises JFK to ignore 2nd demand and accept the 1st.
Later, missiles were removed from Turkey.

17. Effects of the crisis
This was the closest the world has come to nuclear war.
Later, a hotline was set up between the White House and the Kremlin in Moscow.
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signed.