Cuban Missile Crisis
Tommy LaBat
Peterswag Period 4
What a Crisis
After the United States invaded Cuba at Bay of Pigs, the Soviet Union, forced to protect its only stronghold in the Americas, sent several missiles to Cuba to offset the power of the United States. From October 16th to October 28th, 1962, intense diplomatic and militaristic actions occurred in the United States. The Soviet Union had transferred nuclear missiles to Cuba, a neighboring country to the United States. John F. Kennedy, the president during the crisis of 1962, felt the missiles were a clear and present danger to the people of the United States. The Cuban missile crisis brought panic to many individuals due to growing worry of not just another world war, but an apocalyptic war that would most probably eclipse every other war before it. The Cuban missile crisis that occurred in October 1962 was successfully averted due to prudent choices by both Kennedy and Khrushchev.
After Joseph Stalin, the previous dictator, passed away, Nikita Khrushchev rose to power and took upon the monumental task of destroying democracy (Document A). Relations with the United States were improving until the United States discovered the surreptitious smuggling of missiles into Cuba. The United States brainstormed numerous reasons why Khrushchev ordered the missiles to Cuba.
Kennedy and other officials that served on his cabinet had difficulty determining the reason for the transportation of the missiles to Cuba. The reason Khrushchev gave to the United States was that it "was to avoid a war between the United States and Cuba that could escalate into a world war" (Document B). The United States had been planning another invasion following the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion. As soon as Cuban officials discovered the secret invasion, it relied on the help of the Soviet Union. The Soviet immediately came to the aid of Castro by sending nuclear missiles to Cuba (Document C).
Another reason the United States thought was plausible was
Peterswag Period 4
What a Crisis
After the United States invaded Cuba at Bay of Pigs, the Soviet Union, forced to protect its only stronghold in the Americas, sent several missiles to Cuba to offset the power of the United States. From October 16th to October 28th, 1962, intense diplomatic and militaristic actions occurred in the United States. The Soviet Union had transferred nuclear missiles to Cuba, a neighboring country to the United States. John F. Kennedy, the president during the crisis of 1962, felt the missiles were a clear and present danger to the people of the United States. The Cuban missile crisis brought panic to many individuals due to growing worry of not just another world war, but an apocalyptic war that would most probably eclipse every other war before it. The Cuban missile crisis that occurred in October 1962 was successfully averted due to prudent choices by both Kennedy and Khrushchev.
After Joseph Stalin, the previous dictator, passed away, Nikita Khrushchev rose to power and took upon the monumental task of destroying democracy (Document A). Relations with the United States were improving until the United States discovered the surreptitious smuggling of missiles into Cuba. The United States brainstormed numerous reasons why Khrushchev ordered the missiles to Cuba.
Kennedy and other officials that served on his cabinet had difficulty determining the reason for the transportation of the missiles to Cuba. The reason Khrushchev gave to the United States was that it "was to avoid a war between the United States and Cuba that could escalate into a world war" (Document B). The United States had been planning another invasion following the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion. As soon as Cuban officials discovered the secret invasion, it relied on the help of the Soviet Union. The Soviet immediately came to the aid of Castro by sending nuclear missiles to Cuba (Document C).
Another reason the United States thought was plausible was