Aftermath Of Cuban Missile Crisis Flashcards
What happened on 16th October 1962?
Excom was set up to discuss solutions and met every thirteen days
What happened on 22nd October 1962?
Agreement was made to set up a naval blockade instead of launching attack. No ships could pass through the blockade without US permission
What did Kennedy appear on US television for on 22nd October 1962?
To inform a shocked US public about the missiles in Cuba
How did many Americans expect the USSR to react to the blockade?
Ignore it. Then the USA would have to sink Soviet ships and war would follow
How did Kennedy prepare in case Soviet Union ingored blockade?
Had 54 bombers, each with four nuclear warheads, in case war broke out
What is the saying that the world did while waiting to see what USSR did with blockade?
The world held its breath
What happened on 24th October 1962?
The Soviet ships reached the blockade and turned around
What did Dean Rusk, the US secretary of State tell Kennedy?
‘I think the other guy just blinked!’ when Soviet ships turned around
Although direct confrontation was avoided with blockade, what was still a problem?
Soviets still had missile sites in Cuba and USA wanted them removed
What happened on 26th October 1962?
Khrushchev sent Kennedy a telegram offering to remove missiles from Cuba of Americans agreed not to invade
What happened on 27th October before Kennedy could respond to first telegram?
Another telegram arrived saying Khrushchev would remove missiles only if US missiles in Turkey were also removed
What happened on the same day the second telegram was sent (27th Oct)?
American U-2 plane shot down over Cuba
How did the Hawks react to the U-2 plane being shot down in Cuba?
They demanded military action but Kennedy refused
Which telegram did Kennedy agree to?
The first one.
What happened on 28th October 1962?
Khrushchev agreed with Kennedy’s acceptance of first telegram
What did Kennedy’s brother, Robert, do?
Met the Soviet ambassador in Washington and agreed to remove Turkish missiles, but this part of the deal was kept secret
What did the Cuban Missile crisis make clear?
What could happen if the Soviet Union or USA continued to follow a policy of brunkmanship
What is brinkmanship?
Pushing disagreements to the point of a risk of war
Luckily, war was avoided but what did the superpowers want to make sure?
Future misunderstandings would not cause war to break out
How many steps were taken to ensure war didn’t break out in the future?
Four
What happened in June 1963?
A hotline was set up between Moscow and Washington for direct communication
What happened in August 1963?
Test Ban Treaty was signed by USA, Soviet Union and GB
What did the Test Ban Treaty agree?
To prohibit the testing of nuclead weapons in outer space, underwater or in the atmopshere. Importan step to control of nuclear weapons
What happened in 1967?
Outer Space treaty was signed
Why was the Outer Space Treaty worth signing?
A ‘space race’ had begun between USA and Soviet Union so launcing a military attack from Space seemed possible
What was agreed in the Outer Space Treaty?
Not to use Space for military purpose. This treaty specifically ruled pit putting nuclear weapons in orbit
What was signed in 1968?
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
What was agreed in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty?
Not to share their nuclear technology with other countries, stopping the spread of nuclear weapons
How did these changes after the Cuban Missile crisis change the world?
Made it a safer place
How had Kennedy shown himself in the Cuban Missile Crisis?
To be a strong leader, not only in standing up to Khrushchev, but also confronting the Hawks in his own government
What happened to relations after Cuban missile crisis?
Seemed to be peaceful but slightlg sour as Kennedy seemed to have the power edge on Khrushchev
Why did Kennedy’s popularity increase in the US?
As the agreement in Turkey hadn’t been made public
What did the increased popularity for Kennedy do for him?
Gave him more confidence in his dealings with USSR
Why did Khrushchev claim he was he victor after the missile crisis?
He had guaranteed the security of Cuba
How did Moscow feel about the Cuban Missile crisis?
The military felt they had been forced into a humiliating withdrawal
What was the unpopularity in Moscow a significwnt factor in?
Khrushchev’s dismissal in 1964
What did researchers at Harvard University work out would have happened if the USA and USSR had fired missiles at each other during the missile crisis?
100 million would have been killed in US and 100 million in USSR.
