Cuban Missile Crisis
Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 11:02 pm
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a threshold event in the Cold War. You likely know about it and, if not I recommend you read Robert Kennedy's excellent small book on the subject, Thirteen Days, or watch the unusually faithfully done movie.
It stretched from October 16-28, 1962. Though occurring near, and named after, Cuba, it was most critical for the United States and the Soviet Union.
Some individual date bullet points:
Oct 15. A CIA team reviewed U-2 photos and saw what they believed were ballistic missiles. The State Department was notified at 8:30 PM.
Oct 16, morning. Pres. Kennedy is notified. At 6:30 PM, Kennedy convened NSC and others to discuss.
Oct 18. Kennedy met with Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Oct 19. By now, U-2 fly-overs confirmed four operational missile sites. U.S. military was put on high alert to enforce a blockade of Cuba and be ready to invade Cuba on no notice.
Oct 22, 3:00 PM, Kennedy formed an NSA executive committee. At 5:00 PM he met with Congressional leaders. (The Russian ambassador concurrently briefed Kruschev.) At 7:00 PM Kennedy addressed the nation on TV, disclosing the missile discovery and proclaiming the Kennedy Doctrine.
Oct 24, 9:24 PM Kruschev telegram to JFK, received10:52 PM, refusing U.S. demands.
Oct 25, 1:45 AM, JFK responded to Kruschev. Later, at United Nations, U.S. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson confronted the Soviet Ambassador in open session with the photographic evidence.
Oct 25, 1:00 PM a secret negotiation occurred, the Soviets reaching out to a U.S. reporter, seeking an opportunity for a diplomatic solution.
Oct 26, 6:00 PM State Dept. received a "very long and emotional" message allegedly from Kruschev. As it was being translated, the back-channel message through the reporter was conveyed at 6:45 PM.
Oct 27 12:12 AM. U.S. informed NATO allies that the fuse was very short. 6:00 AM CIA memo confirmed the four missile sites were fully operational. 9:00 AM EDT a Kruschev broadcast to the Soviet Union began. At 11:03 AM a new Kruschev message was received in Washington reiterating his proposed resolution. During the day, a U-2 was shot down and other U.S. planes were fired on. Complex, layered negotiations continued. 8:05 PM JFK's carefully forged response was delivered to Kruschev. A secret agreement was reached.
Oct 28 9:00 AM EST. Kruschev publically announced an agreement had been reached.
The U.S. blockade of Cuba was officially lifted November 20, 1962, 6:45 PM EST. Nuclear missiles that had not been covered in the agreement were voluntarily removed from Cuba by the Soviets on November 22, 1962 (coincidentally, one year exactly before Kennedy's murder).
It stretched from October 16-28, 1962. Though occurring near, and named after, Cuba, it was most critical for the United States and the Soviet Union.
Some individual date bullet points:
Oct 15. A CIA team reviewed U-2 photos and saw what they believed were ballistic missiles. The State Department was notified at 8:30 PM.
Oct 16, morning. Pres. Kennedy is notified. At 6:30 PM, Kennedy convened NSC and others to discuss.
Oct 18. Kennedy met with Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Oct 19. By now, U-2 fly-overs confirmed four operational missile sites. U.S. military was put on high alert to enforce a blockade of Cuba and be ready to invade Cuba on no notice.
Oct 22, 3:00 PM, Kennedy formed an NSA executive committee. At 5:00 PM he met with Congressional leaders. (The Russian ambassador concurrently briefed Kruschev.) At 7:00 PM Kennedy addressed the nation on TV, disclosing the missile discovery and proclaiming the Kennedy Doctrine.
Oct 24, 9:24 PM Kruschev telegram to JFK, received10:52 PM, refusing U.S. demands.
Oct 25, 1:45 AM, JFK responded to Kruschev. Later, at United Nations, U.S. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson confronted the Soviet Ambassador in open session with the photographic evidence.
Oct 25, 1:00 PM a secret negotiation occurred, the Soviets reaching out to a U.S. reporter, seeking an opportunity for a diplomatic solution.
Oct 26, 6:00 PM State Dept. received a "very long and emotional" message allegedly from Kruschev. As it was being translated, the back-channel message through the reporter was conveyed at 6:45 PM.
Oct 27 12:12 AM. U.S. informed NATO allies that the fuse was very short. 6:00 AM CIA memo confirmed the four missile sites were fully operational. 9:00 AM EDT a Kruschev broadcast to the Soviet Union began. At 11:03 AM a new Kruschev message was received in Washington reiterating his proposed resolution. During the day, a U-2 was shot down and other U.S. planes were fired on. Complex, layered negotiations continued. 8:05 PM JFK's carefully forged response was delivered to Kruschev. A secret agreement was reached.
Oct 28 9:00 AM EST. Kruschev publically announced an agreement had been reached.
The U.S. blockade of Cuba was officially lifted November 20, 1962, 6:45 PM EST. Nuclear missiles that had not been covered in the agreement were voluntarily removed from Cuba by the Soviets on November 22, 1962 (coincidentally, one year exactly before Kennedy's murder).