Cuban Missile Crisis Flashcards
What did the USA discover?
U2 spy plane flew over Cuba and took photos of launch pads for ICBMs.
There was also a fleet of ships sailing from the USSR to Cuba, probably with more nuclear material on them.
What did President Kennedy do?
Kennedy called a meeting with his advisory council called ExComm. They took 7 days to discuss the options to stop Kruschev and the USSR from putting missiles on Cuba.
What did Kennedy decide to do?
On the 22nd October the USA blockaded Cuba. No ships would be able to pass through the blockade without US permission.
What happened at the blockade?
The Soviet ships stopped and turned around!!
What did the USSR do?
On the 26th October the Soviets sent a telegram to the USA offering to remove the missiles in exchange for a “no invasion pledge (promise)” of Cuba.
What did the USSR do?
On the 27th October, a harsher telegram was sent saying the USSR also wanted the USA to remove similar missiles that the USA had in Turkey, which was close to the USSR.
How did the USA respond?
The Americans tactically ignored the second telegram, but made a deal in secret that meant they would remove the missiles in Turkey, six months later. Therefore, the missile crisis ended without all out nuclear war.
