Essay Cuban missile crises - 807 Words

13 Days of Crises John Fitzgerald Kennedy, also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States and the youngest person ever to be elected president. He was also the first Roman Catholic president and the first president to be born in the 20th century. Young people especially liked him. No other president was so popular. Kennedy was assassinated before he completed his third year as president; therefore, his achievements were limited. Nevertheless, his influence was worldwide, and his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis may have prevented war. The thirteen days Kennedy spent fighting for the safety of this country back in mid-October of 1962, were probably one of the most difficult times faced by Kennedy during his presidency.†¦show more content†¦The 13 days conflict began when during a routine flight of a U-2 spy aircraft passed over Cuba during a routine flight on the early morning of October 14, 1962. This flight revealed that Cuba had non-operational missiles capable of carryi ng nuclear weapons representing a tremendous threat against US. At the time, Cuba was befriended with Russia politically and military. Since Cuba is only 90 nautical miles away from United States it represented as a direct hit from Russia. Later, U.S. spy agencies were able to count 20 nuclear warheads in Cuba. On October 20th, Kennedy orders quarantine over Cuba preventing anyone or anything from going in or out of Cuba. Kennedy was not only facing the Cuban Missile Crises as well as physical back pains from a previous injure when he served the U.S. forces. Then, Kennedy was feeling a physical and political stress; nonetheless, he had a job to do, the job of protecting the United States of America against this communist threat. It is also important to remember that back in the sixties, communication was very limited and sometimes it would take hours to have an answer from across the globe. Communication with Russia was very difficult. Just as McNamara (U.S. secretary of defense during JFK presidency) once said, military moves were like a conversation between Kennedy and Khrushchev (leader of Russia from 1958-1964). During The Cuban Missile Crises, Kennedy also had to deal with his joint chiefs of staffShow MoreRelatedThe Cuban Missile Crisis The World On The Edge Of Its Seat1315 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"We’re eyeball to eyeball, and I think the other fellow just blinked† (Dean Rusk). The Cuban Missile Crisis put the world on the edge of its seat, and was the closest humanity has ever gotten to full-scale nuclear war. Even though the event lasted a mere two weeks (from October 14-24, 1962), it played a significant role in international politics, and its effects can still be seen today. The C uban Missile Crisis is significant to current international relations because it proved the importance ofRead MoreFidel Castro And The Cuban Missile Crisis908 Words   |  4 Pagesout of Cuba. The United States government ceased all trade and economic ties with the Cuban Government. The Cuban Missile Crisis started when an American spy plane that was spying on the island of Cuba noticed that there were missiles built on the island of Cuba, that they were built on the island of Cuba and that the offensive missiles were of Soviet design and making. After the plane noticed the offensive missiles in Cuba, the President of the United States John Kennedy called for an emergency meetingRead MoreJfk And Khrushchev s Impact On The World War II1293 Words   |  6 Pagesfor America, there wasn t going to be a war. This was a point in history where it almost felt like the world stop turning, as if it was at a stand still. Forty-one years later, it seems as if this situation with Saddam is the exact same as the Cuban Missile Crisis. Maybe we can learn from it, maybe we can t. During these 13 days, America had to come up with a gameplan in order to protect their people in the safest manner. President John F. Kennedy created the Ex Comm or Executive Committee. TheRead MoreThe Significance of the Cuban Missile Crisis Essay1686 Words   |  7 PagesWhen speaking about the Cuban Missile Crisis, President Kennedy said, It is insane that two men, sitting on opposite sides of the world, should be able to decide to bring an end to civilization† (â€Å"Nuclear Test Ban Treaty† 1). the Cuban Missile Crisis was a time where these two men, Kennedy and Khrushchev, had the power in their hands to end civilization. In order to understand the importance of the Cuban Missile Crisis one must understand, the Cold war drama; the dangerous crisis; and its importanceRead MoreAssesment of Victory and Defeat in the Cuban Missile Crisis4214 Words   |  17 PagesINTRODUCTION The closest the world has come to nuclear war was the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. The Soviets had installed nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles off the coast of the United States. U.S. armed forces were at their highest state of readiness and demanded that the Soviet Union remove these missiles and imposed a naval blockade on Cuba, threatening to sink any Soviet ships that approached the island without permitting their cargoes to be inspected. Soviet field commandersRead MoreNineteen Days : A Memoir Of The Cuban Missile Crisis968 Words   |  4 Pagesof the Cuban Missile Crisis by Robert Kennedy is a book that details those almost fateful 13 days in October of 1962 that could have resulted in the destruction of mankind. Robert Kennedy was the brother of President John F. Kennedy; he served as the United States Attorney General and â€Å"closest cabinet advisor and confidant† during JFK’s presidential administration. The book sets out to provide you de tail of just how difficult of a decision the president was tasked with regard to the missiles that RussiaRead MoreThe Beginning Of The Cold War1718 Words   |  7 PagesStates and Russia like the Cuban Missile Crisis. Khrushchev placed missiles in Cuba, which is located only 90 miles off of American soil. The placement was used as deterrent to a potential American attacks on the Soviet Union. During this time, Fidel Castro the new Cuban communist dictator was looking for a way to defend his nation and to create a name for Cuba among the powers. So Castro approved of Khrushchev’s plan to place missiles on the island. The placement of the missiles by Russia came after theRead MoreKennedy Doctrine1168 Words   |  5 Pagescontainment policy meant that the United States needed to fight communism abroad and promote democracy worldwide. During President Kennedy’s time in office he was faced with the Bay of Pigs Invasion of 1961, the Berlin Wall Erecting in 1961, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the escalation the United States involvement in Vietnam. Kennedy implemented his own version of the Containment policy with the Flexible Response policy. This Flexible response was the doctrine implement and was used during politicalRead MoreEssay on crisis486 Words   |  2 Pages The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962 presents an integrated, comprehensive record of U.S. decisionmaking during the most dangerous U.S.-Soviet confrontation in the nuclear era. Some 3,400 unique records relevant to the crisis, totalling approximately 17,500 pages, are reproduced in the microfiche. Much of the documentation focuses on U.S. decisionmaking during what Robert Kennedy called the quot;Thirteen Daysquot; of the missile crisis—from McGeorge Bundys October 16, 1962 briefing of President KennedyRead More Cuba in the Cold War Essay1821 Words   |  8 Pages1961 one of the greatest foreign policy mistakes of the Cold War was made, the attempted invasion of the Bay of Pigs, Cuba . The failed invasion happened under the administration of John F. Kennedy and caused the deaths and imprisonment of over 1500 Cuban exiles fighting to over throw the rule of Fidel Castro. The aftermath caused much larger impacts towards United States foreign policy. The invasion made the United States look imperialistic to the rest of the world and allowed the Soviet Union to portray