Cuban Missile Crisis Flashcards
When was the blockade announced?
21st - 22nd October 1962
Kennedy sends US ships to block any ships from entering the quarantined zone in Cuba, threatening to shoot any ships that try to enter.
American forces are put on DEFCON 3
Why did Kennedy announce the blockade?
Because on the 14th October ** 1962 **, American U-2 spy plane finding missiles sites in Cuba.
When did the U-2 spy plane detect the missile sites in Cuba
14th October 1962
When did the 1st fleet of Soviet shops approach the blockade?
23rd October 1962 - These ships were carrying missiles
When did General Thant call for compromise and Soviet ships are ordered to a halt?
24th October 1962 - because one move of the Soviet ships, Following Kennedy’s threat, could lead to a nuclear war
American forces declared DEFCON 2
Why and when was a Soviet ships allowed to enter the quarantined zone?
25th October 1962 - because the Soviet ship was only carrying oil.
When and What was Khrushchev’s 1st letter about?
It was sent on 26th October 1962.
It was a request to withdraw the missiles in exchange for no invasion of Cuba
When and what was Khrushchev’s 2nd letter about?
27th October 1962
The Soviets would remove missiles in exchange for the USA removing missiles.
When was the moment that due to misunderstanding war could have broken out?
On the 27th October 1962,
US Ship Randolph detects a Soviet submarine and forces it to come up.
In response, the captain on board the submarine wants to send a nuclear torpedo but is overruled by a more senior captain.
This could have ended up in nuclear war.
