Executive- The cuban missile crisis Flashcards
What is the cuban missile crisis?
In 1962 The discovery of russian nuclear middles in cuba
US cities in 5 minute range of nuclear missles
Cuba had been an american playground under the US friendly dictator Batista
In 1959 he had been swept from power by a communist inspired revolution led by fidel castero
Who was the president at the time of the crisis?
JFK John Kennedy (youngest ever first roman catholic president)
Who was the leader of the USSR (leader of russia)?
Nikita Keuschev
Trying to follow stalin ment he was under pressure
Who was the cuban leader at the time?
Fidel Castro
Who was the attorney general?
Bobby Kennedy
JFKs brother
A dove
Who was the key political advisor- special assistant id the president and were they a dove or a hawk?
Kenneth O’Donnell
A dove
Who was the old secretary of state for Eisnhower and was he a hawk or a dove?
Dean Acheson
Hawk
Who was the secretary of state to JFK and where they a hawk or a dove?
Dean Rusk hawk
Who was the national security advisor?
McGeorge Bundy
Hawk
Who was the secretary of state for defence and where they a hawk or a dove?
Robert McNamara
A dove
Who was the speechwriter for JFK?
Ted Soreson
Who was the air force cheif of staff and where they a hawk or a dove?
Curtis LeMay
Hawk
Who was the military representative to the president and who was a hawk or a dove?
Maxwell
A hawk
Who was the head of the CIA?
and was he a hawk or a dove?
John McCone
a hawk
Who was the vice president?
Lyndon Johnson
Who was the US ambassador to the united nations (former democratic presidential candidate)
Adlai Stevenson
Dove
Who was the press liaison officer and was he a hawk or a dove?
Pierre Salinger and he was a hawk
Who was the mayor of chicago?
Mayor Richard Daley
What is the general background for the crisis?
The cold war between USA and USSR in 1945-90 and between competing global ideologies of capitalism and communism, both we’re trying to extend their ideologies and economic progression, number of times it vested not war e.g. berlin blockade and Korean war
However the cuban missle cross is the closest the world has ever done to world war III
General background- what was a reason global conflict was avoided?
Shared knowledge of mutual destruction
The US held the global edge through their allies in NATO (Britain, West Germany and Turkey)
They had missilery vases that submarines fleets gave both sides a more flexible options
Specific background of the cuban missile crisis?
In 1950’s under republican Eisenhower and his secretary of state Dean Axhensons Us foreign policy has xebtered on the domino effect, centerd on belief that a communist take over in specific country would lead to similar events in other country’s within regions e.g. Asia, any victor for communism and as a delete for the USA that had been countered and delt with
What in 1961?
The USA attempted to reverse the communist revelation in cuba through the CIA sponsors invasion of cuba involving anti communist cuban extiles
This invasiaon was attempted by the bay of pigs, leading to death kf imprisonment of all the cuban exiles and a major blow to US prestige
Huge disaster
JFKs presidency?
In 1969 JFK won the narrowest presidency election to date
Early days troubled as people believed he didn’t have a mandate
America concerned over his age and roman catholic religion, and the fact taht he cane from the richest family in america
Father Joseph had been the US ambassador in britain and had appalled everyone by his support for Adolf hitter
JFK appointed his inexperienced lawyer brother to be the attourney genral (Bobby Kennedy) role was for a senior lawyer
What was the initial response from JFK to the risk of the initial steps to tackle the problem?
Slimed down NSC called XCOM which was a new committee executive committee if the NCS, this made up of political advisors past and present, head of army, navy and the CIA
Keep it quite before their was a plan
Air strikes
How did JFK control information about the crisis within govt?
XCOM
Congress not informed, members of givt and public
How did recent american foreign policy influence decision?
Bay of pigs and perl harbour-wanted to redeem themselves
Appeasement in 1930
Isolationism i. 2013 felt the USA could do more
Why was it unusual about the decision to seek advice from the former secretary of state Dean Acheson?
Because going to to another government is unsual in the UK
Achenson was a republican
Relationship of congress and JFK?
Hostile
Congressional leaders critical of blockade seeing its a week to respond
What steps does JFK take to try and ensure support for the american people for his actions and decision?
Cover up military expodites
Thousand of military troops in canada
Bully pulpit- direct like television speak to american nation
What are the 4 different options presented to JFK within the crisis?
Negotiate
Air strike against cuban middles sites
Full invasion of cuba
or Naval blockade/quarantening cuba
What are the positives of a negotiation option?
Cuba + USSR positive relationships
Created peace
Negatives of a negotiation?
Slow
Seen as week
No guarante for sucsess
What are the positives of an air strike against cuban missile sites?
Destroy 90% of missles
Limited Us casualties
What are the negatives if the Air strikes against cuban missile sites?
No guarantee to destroy all missles
Base rebuilt
Strike in response in berline
Position of a full invasion to cuba?
Can’t be rebuilt
Missles destroyers
Power controll- removing castero from presidncy
Negatives of a full invitation in cuba?
Could start a war
High casualties on either side
USSR strike berlin ww3 begain
Positives of naval blockade/quarantine of cuba?
Step back from attack
Military action
Gives the USSR room to back down
Stops further equipment arriving in cuba
Negatives if naval blockade/quarantine of cube?
Kill americans
Weeken congres
Act of war
Disney stop missles
Possible naval conflict between USA and russia
Diplomatic actions taken to resolve the cuban missle crisis?
•Meetings between Bobby Kennedy and USSR ambassador thus was a private guarantee to remove all missles by turn
•Teliveses adres of crisi
•Sucsesful debate
•International pressure/diplomatic alliance successful in court jd opinion
•Pubkic pledge to never invade Cuba
-Suppirt americas resource
•Converstaiins with Nate Allis (Canda and USA)
Military measures of the cuban missles?
•Ortsac
•Firing missles
•U2 high level photography low levek planes in air force
•missle testing
•Noval quarantine blockades in canada
•Enforcement of blockages in cuban future
Succsesses of JFKs handling the crisis?
•War avoided
•Misslees removed and base never rebuild
•Peace between country’s
•not many people knew at time so didn’t panic america until it was necessary
•Stubborness lead to success not listening to military helped
•Avoided the usage of nuclear wepons
•Diplomatic solutions
•Managed peiple with vastly different opinions and didn’t get drawn into favouring opinions
•Coped well over pressure
•Built international pressure by getting support from international organisation OARTSAC the US
•Avoidied triaumphing, just as much as a victory for them
•Achieved price for cold war
Failures of the crisis?
-•Responce seen as weak by some of his own administrator especially by the joint chiefs and by congress
•Cuba and turkey angry as defences taken out and had become week
•Went against law makers, could have been impeached
•Compremising didn’t agree with the wishes of the govt
•Il made public, would have been an acf of icolagion
•Worsened relationship between USA and Cuba as diplomatic realtionship reastavlusg obamas presidency
•Furkey furious as damaged nati
•Potential factor in JFKs assassination in nov 1963
