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The Cuban Missile Crisis
The United States and Latin America
1823 Monroe Doctrine
Monroe Doctrine – The US wishing to prevent any foreign power becoming involved in Latin America – after the collapse of the Spanish Empire
Soviet Global Policy
Soviet foreign policy changes with the death of Stalin & the Soviet Union becomes interested in the Third World – backing national liberation movements
Cuba perfect example - “We did not know what type of revolution had taken place”
Cuban Missile Crisis
January 1959 victory of the Cuba Revolution
As Cuban-US relations deteriorate Havana’s relationship with Moscow improves
Cuba perfect example of what Moscow hoped to achieve in the Third World
Cuban Missile Crisis
Propaganda gold dust – Cold War at its height & due to shared history/geography with US
Cuban Missile Crisis
April 1961 - Bay of Pigs Dec 1961 – Castro proclaims himself Marxist-
Leninist
Deployment
Summer 1962 missiles begin to be sent to Cuba
Politburo divided
Wanted to announce to world as fait accompli when at UN
13 Days in October
14th – photographs of missiles on Cuba 22nd – Kennedy decides to blockade Cuba 24th – Soviet ships turn back 24th – message from Khrushchev saying must find
peaceful solution 25th – U2 spy plane shot down 26th – 2nd message from Khrushchev 28th – agreement reached
ExComm Reasons
Bargaining chip for Jupiters in Turkey Diverting trap – real goal was Berlin Rebalance Cold War Close Nuclear imbalance – cost Cuban defence
Excomm Options
3 possible options:
(1) Attack Cuba
(2) Trade missiles for those in Turkey
(3) Quarantine
Much pressure on JFK from hawks after Bay of Pigs
11 voted for quarantine/6 for invasion
Soviet Aims
Idea came to Khrushchev while going for a walk in Bulgaria!
(1) Nuclear parity – been proven by 1961
(2) Weapons in Turkey – 10 mins to hit Soviet Union but 20 mins to hit US
(3) Virgin Land campaign – poor results
Soviet Aims
(4) Reduce military spending – more “bang
for your buck” on “rumble for your
rouble”
(5) Tension with China
(6) Problems with the West – U2 & Vienna/Berlin
Soviet Aims
(7) Believe JFK weak
(8) Khrushchev’s character
(9) Cuban defence - another Bay of Pigs but 40,000 Soviet troops already on Cuba
Solutions
What other options open to JFK & Khrushchev? – pressures from within own governments
Both fought in World War 2
Analysis
Nye – 3 ideas
1) Domestic level
2) International level – distribution of power
3) Military technology – relative standing in international system
Analysis
Graham Allison – Essence of Decision. Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis
Model I – security and stability Model II – Organisations within governments have own reasons Model III – Individuals with own reasons but careful consideration of political situation in own country
Outcomes
Perceived as great humiliation for Soviet Union
Outcomes
“Eyeball to eyeball, they blinked first” – Dean Rusk, US Secretary of State
Hotline between Washington and Moscow created
1963 - Limited test Ban Treaty
1968 – Non Proliferation Treaty
Outcomes
US promise not to invade Cuba – Monroe Doctrine dead
1963 Jupiter missiles in Turkey
1964 cost Khrushchev his job – overseas adventures
Conclusions
Moscow takes decision to station nuclear weapons for a variety of different internal and foreign policy reasons – not just Cuban defence
“special” relationship between Washington & Havana increases tension
Nye - analysis
Allison – Essence of Decision
Conclusions
Perceived as humiliation for Moscow – cost Khrushchev his job
Legacy for rest of Cold War
“Eyeball to eyeball, they blinked first.”