John F. Kennedy’s Handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis

1. Ehn Nishioka Daniel Frasier John F. Kennedy’s Handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis

2. The Beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis starts when Fidel Castro rises to power on January 1, 1959. Castro begins making many changes to the country and one of his advancements is to align Cuba with Nikita Khrushchev's Soviet Union and adopt their foreign Policies. Two years after Castro takes power and aligns with the Soviet Union the United States terminates diplomatic and consular relations with Cubahttp://library.thinkquest.org/11046/days/timeline.html The Beginning

3. After hearing about all the political happenings about Cuba aligning themselves with the Soviet Union, Current president of the united states of America, John F. Kennedy, pledges to remain out of Cuban affairs and says that the United states will not overthrow Castro militarily on April 12, 1961. This would eventually lead to many fallacies about Kennedy’s name as he would soon break his pledge as the world is on the brink of nuclear warfare with Russia and Cuba. http://library.thinkquest.org/11046/days/timeline.html Kennedy’s Pledge

4. On April 17, 1961, a group of Cuban rebels opposed to Fidel Castro are backed by the United States in an invasion of Cuba to try to facilitate an anti-Castro rebellion among the local people living under his control, however, the invasion at the Bay of Pigs fails and as a result of the failed attempt over a thousand Cuban rebels are captured during the invasion by Castro’s forces. http://library.thinkquest.org/11046/days/timeline.html Bay of Pigs

5. On July 27, 1962 Fidel Castro announces to the world that they have taken measures to insure that any direct united states attack or attempt to overthrow him would be resulting in the next world war. Castro makes a statement that Khrushchev and the soviet union have generously supplied Cuba with the resources and fire power necessary to begin war with any country that interferes with them. http://library.thinkquest.org/11046/days/timeline.html Castro’s Declaration

6. From October 9th to the 14th of 1962, Kennedy takes action as deploys reconnaissance planes to survey Cuba in search of missiles however his first attempt was canceled due to weather conditions. Senator Keating warned Kennedy that Cuba had constructed 6 intermediate ballistic medium range missiles and one of the reconnaissance planes Took hard evidence photos that Cuba had missiles in their possession. http://library.thinkquest.org/11046/days/timeline.html Missiles in Cuba

7. On October 23, 1962 Kennedy decides the best course of action would be to set up a quarantine line surrounding Cuba setting ships up 800 miles from shore as a result of this quarantine, Soviet ships either slowed their progress toward Cuba or turned around and returned to Russia only one of the ships broke through the linehttp://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-weapons/history/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis/timeline.htm Quarantine

8. Kennedy sends a letter to Nikita Khrushchev explaining the responsibilities they must be held accountable for if the situation goes any further this occurring on October 25, 1962. In the letter it states, “the Congress adopted a resolution expressing its support of this declared policy.(2) Despite this, the rapid development of long-range missile bases and other offensive weapons systems in Cuba has proceeded. I must tell you that the United States is determined that this threat to the security of this hemisphere be removed. At the same time, I wish to point out that the action we are taking is the minimum necessary to remove the threat to the security of the nations of this hemisphere. The fact of this minimum response should not be taken as a basis, however, for any misjudgment on your part.” http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-weapons/history/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis/timeline.htm Kennedy’ s letter

9. From the 26th to the 27th of October in 1962 the exchanges made between Khrushchev and Kennedy held the world at the edge of their seats as the world teetered on the brink of nuclear warfare the conditions on each party’s sides however were agreed upon on two separate conditions. Khrushchev’s condition was for the united states to remove their missiles that were being stored in Turkey and in return the United States would never invade Cuba Khrushchev’s Response

10. After all of the tense negotiations and exchanges involved in the crisis the problem had finally ended on a peaceful accord with results favoring both groups on equal terms and after 2 years the crisis ended on October 28th 1962 these were possibly two of the most tense years in Americas and the worlds history but in the end everything was resolved and Kennedy handled the situation eloquently and professionally preventing world war three and possibly the end of the world. The Cuban missile crisis ends