The Cuban Missile Crisis: How it Arose and How it was Solved

A detailed Summary of The Cuban Missile Crisis: How it Arose and How it was Solved

The Cuban Missile crisis is an event that will forever be linked to American and World history. The decisions that were made during this time, helped to world in avoiding a serious disaster. It also demonstrated what can occur when nations have in their possession very destructive weapons. The purpose of this discussion is to explain how the crisis arose and how it was solved.

According to the United States Library of Congress in May of 192 Nikita Khrushchev, the then leader of the Soviet Union, had the idea to place nuclear missiles in the nation of Cuba as a way of hedging the lead that the United States had taking in the developing and deploying of strategic missiles (Cold War:Cuban Missile Crisis). In addition, Khrushchev also viewed such placement as a way of protecting the nation of Cuba from another American-sponsored invasion, such as the Bay of Pigs that occurred in 1961 (Cold War:Cuban Missile Crisis).

The reasons for Russia's decision to attempt to protect Cuba from an American invasion were actually a somewhat valid concern. According to Garthoff (1989)

"Soviet leaders were considering and making important decisions about expanded military support for Cuba, in

In addition, to the aforementioned contingency plans the Kennedy administration also deployed sabotage and diversionary units of Cuban emigres on raids into the nation of Cuba. This covert action plan was known as "Operation Mongoose" (Garthoff 1989). There was even a plot to kill the Cuban leader Fidel Castro (Garthoff 1989). In addition a declassified Mongoose planning document dated February 20, 1962, presented an agenda and timetable culminating in a wide popular revolt in Cuba, a development that in turn was expected both to require and to justify American military intervention, in October 1962 (Hilsman, 1996).

A book entitled Reflections on the Cuban Missile Crisis asserts that President Kennedy directed the Majority of his attention toward Moscow and ignored the role that Castro and Cuba played in the Crisis. In addition the author reports that the president was prompt in his resolve to get support from international organizations. This support included the Organization of American States (OAS).

The purpose of this discussion was to explain how the crisis arose and how it was solved. We found that the Crisis occurred as a result of Russia's attempt to intimidate the United States with nuclear weapons and its assertion that America was going to invade Cuba and as such Cuba needed Russian protection. The research asserts the crisis was resolved diplomatically when America promised not to invade Cuba.

"During the crisis, the two sides exchanged many letters and other communications, both formal and "back channel." Khrushchev sent letters to Kennedy on October 23 and 24 indicating the deterrent nature of the missiles in Cuba and the peaceful intentions of the Soviet Union. On October 26, Khrushchev sent Kennedy a long rambling letter seemingly proposing that the missile installations would be dismantled and personnel removed in exchange for United States assurances that it or its proxies would not invade Cuba. On October 27, another letter to Kennedy arrived f

Some common words found in the essay are:
Missile Crisis, President Kennedy, Soviet Union, Ex Comm, Castro Garthoff, Cuban Soviet, Nevertheless Soviet, American OAS, According Garthoff, American World, missile crisis, garthoff 1989, warcuban missile, cold warcuban missile, warcuban missile crisis, cold warcuban, cuban missile crisis, cuban missile, soviet union, missile installations, nation cuba, president kennedy, cuba cold warcuban, invade cuba, explain crisis arose,

Approximate Word count = 1353
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History