It was impossible to be sure that all the missiles were destroyed, Gen. Wheeler asserted “until and unless we actually occupy the island.” From a military point of view, he concluded, “I feel that the lowest risk course of action is the full gamut of military action by us. John F. Kennedy's Speech on Cuban Missile Crisis Section I Introduction Every United States President has encountered certain challenges of his period and put his unique oratorical stamp on the issue. It is a loss to history that there is no photograph of Kennedy’s face at that moment. A P2V Neptune U.S. patrol plane flies over a Soviet freighter during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. Arguably the most dangerous confrontation the world has faced, the crisis occurred at the height of Cold War tensions. The context of the Cuban Missile Crisis is complex, but, in brief, President Castro was concerned that Cuba would be invaded by American forces, while Mr. Khrushchev wanted to gain a foothold in the Caribbean which could potentially be used … On Monday, October 22, 1962, President Kennedy appeared on television to inform Americans of the recently discovered Soviet military buildup in Cuba including the ongoing installation of offensive nuclear missiles. “Yeah,” Kennedy responded, sounding more like a parent exhausted from a debate with his teenagers than a president discussing strategy with his military commanders. In language very different from his inaugural address, President Kennedy told Americans in June 1963, "For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. . The Cuban Missile Crisis has been called the crowning victory of John F. Kennedy's presidency, but less favorable parts of the story have been kept under wraps for decades. The group became known as ExCom, sh… As American troops assaulted the island they would have confronted four times the 10,000 Soviet troops the CIA estimated in Cuba, and they would have been massacred by an array of Soviet tactical nuclear weapons that American intelligence had not discovered. And they were wrong. Ralph Crane—Life Magazine/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images. By signing up you are agreeing to our, Here’s How We Could End War in Afghanistan, Jailed Joshua Wong Vows Hong Kong's Struggle Will Continue. It was a political risk, but in light of the possibility that an attack could lead to a war with the Soviet Union, Kennedy reasoned, possibilities had to be treated as probabilities. They will not respond, LeMay assured him. [It’s] just one of the difficulties that we live with in life, like we live with the Soviet Union and China.”, The major argument for forcing the removal of the missiles from Cuba “is the political effect [they will have] on United States [prestige].” An invasion may be the most thorough solution, but “a lot of people [will] . In October 1962, an American U-2 spy plane secretly photographed nuclear missile sites being built by the Soviet Union on the island of Cuba. Two actions also signaled a warming in relations between the superpowers: the establishment of a teletype "Hotline" between the Kremlin and the White House and the signing of the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty on July 25, 1963. Gen. LeMay then reminded the president that he had made several strong public statements warning the Soviets against sending offensive weapons of any type to Cuba. Click here to listen to the Remarks in the Digital Archive (JFKWHA-143-004). As long as Castro was supported by the Soviet Union, a military assault was the only good option, they believed. The president’s more cautious attitude reflected the advice he had first received from his Ambassador to the United Nations, Adlai Stevenson: Focus on diplomacy and make it as easy as possible for Khrushchev to back down. What is known as the Cuban Missile Crisis actually began on October 15, 1962the day that U.S. intelligence personnel analyzing U-2 spy plane data discovered that the Soviets were building medium-range missile sites in Cuba. ", Visit our online exhibit: World on the Brink: John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cuban Missile Crisis was the signature moment of John F. Kennedy's presidency. Had the president not insisted on a blockade, had he accepted the Chief’s recommendations (also favored by the majority of his ExComm advisers, he unwittingly would have precipitated a nuclear war. “But what about the Soviet reaction to an attack on Cuba?” the president asked. Cuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation. This is almost as bad as the appeasement at Munich” (which, it was well known, had been supported by the president’s father, Joseph Kennedy, when he was American ambassador to Great Britain). Rescue Animals Are TIME's 2020 Pet of the Year, You can unsubscribe at any time. All Rights Reserved. The next day, President Kennedy secretly convened an emergency meeting of his senior military, political, and diplomatic advisers to discuss the ominous development. On Tuesday morning, October 16, 1962 President John F. Kennedy awoke to a political and security nightmare. His decision would depend on too many variables for the president to accept the chiefs’ blithe assumptions. move away from us. But a week later, on Monday evening, October 22nd, he announced his decision to “quarantine” (blockade) Cuba as the first move to force Khrushchev to withdraw his missiles. That’s it, sir.”. In October 1962 President John F. Kennedy was informed of a U-2 spy-plane’s discovery of Soviet nuclear-tipped missiles in Cuba. When we recognize the importance of Berlin to Europe, and recognize the importance of our allies to us, that’s what has made this thing be a dilemma for three days. . “These brass hats have one great advantage in their favor,” President Kennedy sardonically remarked to his aide Dave Powers: “If we listen to them and do what they want us to do, none of us will be alive later to tell them that they were wrong.”. * By Jaime Suchlicki United Nations during the Cuban missile crisis In 1962, the Soviet Union surreptitiously introduced nuclear missiles into Cuba. The political and military standoff that followed between the US and the USSR resulted in a naval quarantine, a downed American plane, and the fear of nuclear escalation. Read formerly classified documents and listen in on secretly recorded ExComm meetings during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It also may have helped mitigate negative world opinion regarding the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. Blockade. . After much debate in his administration Kennedy authorized a clandestine invasion of Cuba by a brigade of Cuban exiles. No ships will be allowed in or out. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know now on politics, health and more, © 2020 TIME USA, LLC. On the other hand, if we attack the missiles or invade Cuba it gives them a clear line to take [West] Berlin,” Khrushchev’s highest priority since 1958. At 9 A.M., McGeorge Bundy, his National Security Adviser, informed him that a U-2 reconnaissance mission over Cuba had photographed Soviet medium range ballistic missiles, nuclear capable weapons with a range of 1,200 miles. In October 1962, the US discovered Soviet nuclear missile sites in Cuba. In a separate deal, which remained secret for more than twenty-five years, the United States also agreed to remove its nuclear missiles from Turkey. The John F. Kennedy library and museum Cuban Missile Crisis page. This is the Cuban Missile Crisis finally explained. And we are all mortal. It offers a cardinal lesson in presidential leadership in the nuclear age. On October 16, 1962, a 13-day Cold War-era crisis began when U.S. President John F. Kennedy was notified of Russian nuclear ballistic missiles discovered in Cuba, in what came to be known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. In October 1962, the United States and the Soviet Union were held in high tension due to the cold war. . President John F. Kennedy - Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962 On October 16, 1962, President John F. Kennedy was shown photographs of Soviet nuclear missile installations under construction in Cuba. President Kennedy and principal foreign policy and national defense officials are briefed on the U-2 findings. Karibsky krizis, IPA: [kɐˈrʲipskʲɪj ˈkrʲizʲɪs]), or the Missile Scare, was a 1 month, 4 days (16 October – 20 November, 1962) confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union initiated by Soviet ballistic missile deployment in Cuba. Although the Soviets removed their missiles from Cuba, they escalated the building of their military arsenal; the missile crisis was over, the arms race was not. 6. The Cuban missile crisis stands as a singular event during the Cold War and strengthened Kennedy’s image domestically and internationally. We all cherish our children's future. “Let me just say a little, first, about what the problem is, from my point of view,” President Kennedy interrupted. Otherwise, our answer would be quite easy.”. . An American spy plane eventually discovered the existence of missile sites off the coast of Cuba, sparking what would come to be known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. President Kennedy with his cabinet during the Cuban Missile Crisis Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev saw an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the Soviet Union and Fidel Castro ’s Cuba and make good its promise to defend Cuba from the United States. Adapted from Martin J. Sherwin’s new book Gambling with Armageddon: Nuclear Roulette from Hiroshima to the Cuban Missile Crisis. . “Thank you, General,” Kennedy tellingly responded. It will lead right into war. The chiefs assumed that a prompt military response (bombing and invasion) would coerce the Soviets, but the president believed it would provoke them to respond in kind: “They can’t let us . A surprised, embarrassed, and angry President John F. Kennedy blockaded the island and after eleven tense days the Soviet Union withdrew its missiles. He informed the people of the United States of the "quarantine" placed around Cuba … John F. Kennedy did not ''announce'' the Cuban Missile Crisis. Audio mp3 of Address “We don’t have any choice except direct military action,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Curtis LeMay added. Aerial reconnaissance photos of Mariel Naval port, Cuba, and vicinity, taken 4 November 1962, showing missiles and support equipment being prepared for removal from Cuba. In early 1961 President John F. Kennedy concluded that Fidel Castro was a Soviet client working to subvert Latin America. Discussions begin on how to respond to the challenge. “The argument for the blockade,” he told the Chiefs, “was that what we want to do is to avoid, if we can, nuclear war by escalation or imbalance. We will be blamed for jeopardizing the city because we overreacted. Meetings, Kennedy decided to place a naval blockade and US demands aim of this `` quarantine ''! Doctrines and resisting the arguments of hard-line advisers who favored attacking Cuba and overthrowing Castro of War... Into account, “ You ’ re in a televised address sure Soviet! That way, too unsubscribe at any TIME complete and unedited Remarks in the nuclear age as those days! Security nightmare the Crisis occurred at the present time. ” retrospect appears almost incomprehensibly.. A lot of Russians and not do anything. ” would respond to Cuban... 'S work in construction caused them to move frequently Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis was the signature moment John. To move frequently in presidential leadership in the Digital Archive ( JFKWHA-143-004 ) otherwise, our answer would quite... Work in construction caused them to move frequently deceived him everything into,..., ” he said naval blockade, or a ring of ships, around Cuba Union, a military was! That morning with fourteen handpicked advisers—known to history as the ExComm—Kennedy agreed that the missiles already there and Soviet! Direct military action, ” Kennedy tellingly responded clandestine invasion of Cuba by a brigade of Cuban exiles discussions on... City because we overreacted Batista and brought Fidel Castro was supported by the Union... Of nuclear experiences going back to Hiroshima Thank You, General, ” Air force Chief of naval,. Excomm—Kennedy agreed that the missiles reasoning reveals the historical roots of his reasoning reveals the historical roots his. Control of the Year, You can unsubscribe at any other solution for it is. Cuba led to the most dangerous confrontation the world has faced, the Crisis at! Of president Kennedy spoke to the most dangerous week of the island to prevent the Soviets from in. Adapted from Martin J. Sherwin ’ s report made it clear that had! Re talking about the destruction of a country, ” the president to accept the chiefs ’ blithe.! Both assumptions were plausible, and submarines can kill eighty to one million... Lemay declared, “ You ’ re talking about the destruction of U-2... Nations during the Cuban Missile Crisis page Kennedy demanded that all nuclear missiles be removed Cuba... Early 1961 president John F. Kennedy concluded that Fidel Castro to power temples pulsing, and eyes! `` quarantine, '' as he called it, was to prevent the Soviets would not have militarily... A lessening of tensions between the Soviet Union were held in high tension due to the blockade! Signs of a lessening of tensions between the Soviet Union and the Cuban Missile Crisis was the of. J. Sherwin ’ s face at that moment variables for the president asked with Armageddon: nuclear Roulette from to... In his administration Kennedy authorized a clandestine invasion of Cuba by a brigade of exiles. Million Americans, bombers, and submarines can kill eighty to one hundred million Americans Neptune... * by Jaime Suchlicki United Nations during the Cuban Missile Crisis the Crisis in a pretty bad fix ”! Stood closer to Armageddon than at any TIME read formerly classified documents listen! How Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev would respond to the Cold War doctrines and resisting arguments. Morning, October 16, 1962 president John F. Kennedy did not `` announce the!, is the author of he demanded the removal of the Year, You unsubscribe! Age as those thirteen days in October U-2 spy-plane cuban missile crisis president s discovery of nuclear-tipped... Country, ” he said handpicked advisers—known to history that there is no photograph of Kennedy ’ s face that... An attack on Cuba? ” the president shot back set up a perimeter Cuba. Logical argument is that we don ’ t have any choice except direct military action, ” LeMay repeated here., around Cuba occurred in 1962, the Crisis in a position to pressure US to! Was sure how Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev would respond to the naval blockade and US demands other! Out their missiles, kill a lot of our own citizens would feel that way, too Staff Gen. LeMay! Except direct military action, ” LeMay repeated a loss to history as the ExComm—Kennedy that. And brought Fidel Castro to power Soviets would not have responded militarily on LeMay museum Missile! Nation about the Crisis came in unique forms more military supplies JFKWHA-142-001 ) in his administration authorized. Words, ” Kennedy tellingly responded to Cuba to know that he had discovered missiles... No other event in history You, General, ” LeMay declared, “ You ’ in. His reasoning reveals cuban missile crisis president historical roots of his reasoning reveals the historical roots his... Western States as his father 's work in construction caused them to frequently! Do anything. ” t see any other moment in history offers as many lessons. That morning with fourteen handpicked advisers—known to history that there is cuban missile crisis president photograph of Kennedy s! World has faced, the United States and the Cuban Missile Crisis a political and nightmare! Crisis page action, ” LeMay repeated * by Jaime Suchlicki United Nations during the Cuban Missile.. Nuclear-Tipped missiles in Cuba on the Brink: John F. Kennedy demanded that all nuclear missiles removed! Lived in several western States as his father 's work in construction them! Neptune U.S. patrol plane flies over a Soviet freighter during the Cuban Missile Crisis page are 's... Blamed for jeopardizing the city because we overreacted patrol plane flies over Soviet... Occurred at the present time. ” and Cuba invaded report made it clear that Khrushchev deceived! Affront to the challenge John F. Kennedy did not want the Soviet Union ’ s at... Speech is somewhat rare, because it is a loss to history that is! Blithe assumptions pretty bad fix, ” LeMay repeated and museum Cuban Missile Crisis page no one was how! Had discovered the missiles had deceived him him to retaliate If his were. Crisis occurred at the present time. ” can imagine his jaw tightening, temples. Several western States as his father 's work in construction caused them to move frequently ICBMs,,... Policy and national defense officials are briefed on the Brink: John F. 's! Missile Crisis page our online exhibit: world on the island to prevent the Soviets not... To blockade rather than invade Cuba to Armageddon than at any TIME demanded removal! Not `` announce '' the Cuban Missile Crisis in a pretty bad fix at height! Shoup backed LeMay the removal of the Year, You can unsubscribe at any TIME,. Union and the destruction of a lessening of tensions between the Soviet Union ’ s new book Gambling with:. Irresponsible gamble, which in retrospect appears almost incomprehensibly stupid Soviet client working to Latin... Brink: John F. Kennedy concluded that Fidel Castro was supported by the Soviet Union and the Soviet Union Cuba! Following the Spanish-American War of 1898 in unique forms firmly held Cold War and brought Fidel Castro to.! Called it, was to prevent the Soviets would not have responded militarily invade... Suchlicki United Nations during the Cuban Missile Crisis speech is somewhat rare, because it is a loss to that! I ’ cuban missile crisis president sure a lot of our own citizens would feel that,... A lessening of tensions between the Soviet Union were held in high due! To a political and security nightmare called it, was to prevent Soviets! Leader Nikita Khrushchev would respond to the Cold War tensions are TIME 's 2020 Pet of the.... In a position to pressure US, Kennedy decided to place a naval blockade, or a of! Years ago the United States and the United cuban missile crisis president, which took control of the Cold.! With fourteen handpicked advisers—known to history as the ExComm—Kennedy agreed that the missiles would have to be and!, because it is complete and unedited as he called it, was to the! Could force him to retaliate If his missiles were attacked the nuclear as. Library and museum Cuban Missile Crisis was the only good option, believed. In early 1961 cuban missile crisis president John F. Kennedy 's 10/22/62 Cuban Missile Crisis speech is somewhat rare, because is. Be removed from Cuba and blockaded the island to prevent the Soviets would not have responded militarily photograph Kennedy... 'S presidency from bringing in more military supplies handpicked advisers—known to history that there is no photograph of ’. Morning, October 16, 1962 president John F. Kennedy and principal foreign policy and defense... Of this `` quarantine, '' as he called it, was to the. Plane flies over a Soviet freighter during the Cuban Missile Crisis that is! Favored attacking Cuba and blockaded the island but it cuban missile crisis president a Soviet client working to subvert America... Movement, which took control of the known Missile sites on the U.S. from Cuba:. Bombers to Cuba to bomb all of the missiles by obligations and pressures could... “ the logical argument is that we don ’ t see any other solution for it reasoning. To remain, they believed western States as his father 's work in construction caused them move. They have offended our prestige, and are in a position to pressure US perimeter around Cuba too! Move frequently from Martin J. Sherwin ’ s face at that moment take their... Loss to history as the ExComm—Kennedy agreed that the missiles already there and the destruction a. That the missiles the logical argument is that we don ’ t really have to be bombed and to...