Cold War: Cuban Missile Crisis
Jan 02, 2016
Cold War Timeline
31 Jan 50 Truman announces US intent to develop hydrogen bomb
Nuclear War Branch
14 Apr 50
1 Nov 52
NSC-68: Blueprint for containment strategy
First thermonuclear device detonated, Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands
• Sparks space race US effort in scientific research & education
USSR launches first artificial earth satellite, Sputnik4 Oct 57
Oct 62 Cuban Missile Crisis
Causes of the Cuban Crisis
Soviet Union threaten by US strategic missiles in Europe
• Felt they were falling behind in arms race
Castro feared an invasion of Cuba by U.S.
• Approved deployment of Soviet missiles to Cuba as a safeguard
Cuban Crisis
To counter US deployment of missiles to Europe, USSR began moving offensive arms to Cuba in the summer and early fall of 1962
R-12 (SS-4) MRBM
IL-28 Bombers
Cuban Crisis
US stepped up aerial reconnaissance of Cuba
High Level
Low Level
U-2USAF RF-101
USN F8U-1P
Cuban Crisis
Two MRBM sites under construction with SS-4 missiles arriving
IRBM site under construction but no SS-5 missiles introduced
Soviet Missiles
Soviet R-14 Usovaya IRBMNATO designation: SS-5 Skean
Range: 4,500 km (2,600 nm)
Launch sites prepared but missiles not deployed to Cuba
Cuban Crisis
President Kennedy addresses nation, orders quarantine
October 22, 1962
Full Text
( Excerpt )
Full Video (18:42)
( 3:09 )
Cuban Crisis
“… we are in as grave a crisis as mankind has been in.”
October 22, 1962
Secretary of Sate Dean Rusk
On briefing ambassadors to the US after President Kennedy’s speech.
DEFCON
DEFCON: Defense Condition
DEFCON 1: Maximum readiness; attack on US imminent or under way
DEFCON 2: Further increase in readiness to just below maximum
DEFCON 3: Increased force readiness
DEFCON 4: Normal readiness with increased intelligence & force security
DEFCON 5: Normal force readiness
DEFCON 2 declared October 22, 1962 for SAC
2
DEFCON
DEFCON: Defense Condition
No single DEFCON status for the country DEFCON
2
Determined by Unified Commands in coordination with JCS
DEFCON
DEFCON: Defense Condition
No single DEFCON status for the country DEFCON
Strategic Air Command (SAC) went to DEFCON 2
2
Determined by Unified Commands in coordination with JCS
Example: 22 Oct 62:
U.S. Armed Forces ordered to DEFCON 3 except:
US Air Forces Europe remained at DEFCON 4
SAC remained at DEFCON 2 until 15 Nov 62
Cuban Crisis
Proposed US Invasion of Cuba
Dino A. Brugioni“The Invasion of Cuba”Military History Quarterly, Winter 1992
Cuban CrisisOctober 24, 1962: Quarantine in Effect
US Navy forces tracked and intercepted Soviet ships approaching quarantine line
Cuban Crisis
October 26, 1962: First ship stopped & boarded
USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) stops Soviet-chartered Lebanese freighter Marcula
ResolutionOctober 28, 1962
After exchange of messages, Kennedy & Khrushchev reached a confidential agreement:
• US will remove IRBMs from Turkey, Italy
• USSR will remove missiles from Cuba
• US pledged not to invade Cuba
• USSR agreed not to publicly reveal removal of IRBMs
Cuban Missile CrisisHow it Was Resolved
"The Circle of Modern War" and logo© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013
( 0:10 – 7:38 )
DEFCON 2
"Our own strategic missiles have never been transferred to the territory of any other nation under a cloak of secrecy and deception; and our history, unlike that of the Soviets since the end of World War II, demonstrates that we have no desire to dominate or conquer any other nation or impose our system upon its people.” `
Full Text
Address on the Cuban Crisis, October 22, 1962
Kennedy on Secret Missiles
Significance of Cuban Crisis
Kennedy gained prestige for having defused the crisis but widen trans-Atlantic gulf for not consulting with NATO allies
USSR lost some stature in Third World to China
Superpowers learned valuable crisis management lessons
Nuclear disarmament received increased emphasis
US Flexible Response doctrine validated
Bilateral communications critical => Hotline established
Leave your opponent room to maneuver
Ghosts of Crises Past
Munich
Chinese Intervention in Korea
Cuban Missile Crisis
That Haunt U.S. Presidents Over Vietnam
The trilogy is complete:
How Close We Came
U.S. destroyer was tracking a Soviet sub in quarantine area
Soviet sub had a nuclear-armed torpedo onboardDestroyer dropped depth charges to drive sub to surface
Sub was ready to respond with nuclear torpedo• Sub skipper & political officer both agreed (normal procedure)• Flotilla commander (more senior) happened to be onboard; vetoed the idea
How Close We Came
U.S. destroyer was tracking a Soviet sub in quarantine area
Soviet sub had a nuclear-armed torpedo onboardDestroyer dropped depth charges to drive sub to surface
Sub was ready to respond with nuclear torpedo• Sub skipper & political officer both agreed (normal procedure)• Flotilla commander (more senior) happened to be onboard; vetoed the idea
( 46:16 ) Nuclear Sharks: Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
"The Circle of Modern War" and logo© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013
( 50:31 )
Documentary
Lesson Objectives
• Understand the Vietnam War as part of the Cold War.
• Understand the doctrine of limited war and counterinsurgency as espoused by the Kennedy Administration.
• Understand the timeline of events that led to U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia.
• Understand the U.S. rationale and strategy for the Vietnam War.