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Essential Question:

Why did the Cuban Missile Crisis result in near nuclear war in 1962?

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“The Best and the Brightest”

Cabinet/Advisors- “Action Intellectuals”
Some GOP influence
“Whiz Kids”- Rational thought, Careful calculation
Dean Rusk- Sec. Of State-Loyal/Team player
Robert McNamara-Sec. Of Defense- Ford Motor Company-Data

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“The Best and the Brightest”

McGeorge Bundy- National Security Advisor-Yale Scholar-Northeast wing of GOP
Robert Kennedy- Attorney General- JFK’s “bad cop”
Maxwell Taylor-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
Adlai Stevenson- Ambassador the UN- Liberal wing of Dem. party

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Kennedy Foreign Policy and the Cold War

Kennedy also followed the Cold War policies of his predecessors.
He continued the nuclear arms buildup begun by Eisenhower.
He continued to follow Truman’s practice of containment.
He developed the strategy of flexible response.
Strengthening conventional American forces so the nation would have other options than nuclear weapons in times of crisis

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Specific Policies

Peaceful means- Peace Corps, etc.
Hawkish means-NATO, Nukes, Special forces (Green Berets)
Emphasis on science + math in schools
“Alliance for Progress”

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Flexible Response

Challenged Eisenhower’s idea of “massive retaliation”
Pushed for the use of conventional weaponry and military to combat Communism
U.S. couldn’t rely on nuclear arsenal to protect itself

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Alliance for Progress

JFK’s pledge of support for Latin America
Considered a “Marshall Plan for brown people”

$20 billion to support internal improvements
Supported education and schools
Built hospitals and promote health care
Helped distribute land

Pros: helped some
Cons: much abuse and corruption

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The Peace Corps

JFK’s call for American international volunteerism
The commitment:

Spend 2 years in developing nations
Specialize in education, agriculture, irrigation, sewage treatment, or health care
Promote democracy and American influence

Remains one of the most lasting legacy’s of JFK’s presidency

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During the Cold War, the USA & USSR created intelligence agencies, the CIA and KGB, in order �to spy and carry out covert operations

The USA & USSR used spies to gather intelligence

Convicted spies�Julius & Ethel Rosenberg

U.S. & Soviet spy planes gathered information also

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Berlin’s Significance

Khrushchev demanded that the United States recognize East Germany as an independent Communist nation.
West Berlin was an island of freedom.
Many East Germans fled to West Germany through Berlin.
In JFK’s first year in office, Soviet leader Khrushchev threatened to cut off access to West Berlin

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The Berlin Crisis, 1961

JFK vowed to never give up access to West Berlin
Kennedy refused to be bullied, sent troops into West Germany, built nuclear shelters, and waited for Khrushchev’s next move
Rather than blockade the city, Communist leaders built the Berlin Wall in 1961 to keep East Germans out of West Berlin

Meeting with US President John F. Kennedy in the Vienna summit on 4 June 1961, Premier Khrushchev caused a new crisis when he reissued his threat to sign a separate peace treaty with East Germany, which he said would end existing four-power agreements guaranteeing American, British, and French access rights to West Berlin. However, this time he did so by issuing an ultimatum, with a deadline of 31 December 1961. The three powers replied that no unilateral treaty could abrogate their responsibilities and rights in West Berlin, including the right of unobstructed access to the city.

In the growing confrontation over the status of Berlin, US President John F. Kennedy undercut his own bargaining position during his Vienna Summit negotiations with Khrushchev in June 1961. Kennedy essentially conveyed US acquiescence to the permanent division of Berlin. This made his later, more assertive public statements less credible to the Soviets.[11]

As the confrontation over Berlin escalated, Kennedy, in a speech delivered on nationwide television the night of 25 July, reiterated that the United States was not looking for a fight and that he recognised the "Soviet Union's historical concerns about their security in central and eastern Europe." He said he was willing to renew talks. But he announced that he would ask Congress for an additional $3.25 billion for military spending, mostly on conventional weapons. He wanted six new divisions for the Army and two for the Marines, and he announced plans to triple the draft and to call up the reserves. Kennedy proclaimed, "We seek peace, but we shall not surrender."

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“Ich bin ein Berliner”

—JFK, 1963

Walls and other barriers 10–15 feet high surrounded West Berlin. The length of the barriers around the city totaled about 110 miles

The “death strip” stretched like a barren moat around West Berlin, with patrols, floodlights, electric fences, and vehicle traps between the inner and outer walls

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Kennedy sent more troops, and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson visited West Berlin.�Kennedy said “A wall is a … lot better than a war.”�Over time, the wall was extended and fortified.�“Ich bin ein Berliner”

In Berlin, Germany, President Kennedy commends Berliners on their spirit and dedication to democracy and expresses his solidarity with them through the words "as a free man, I take pride in the words Ich bin ein Berliner! (I am a Berliner)."

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The Berlin Wall

On August 13, 1961, Khrushchev closed the crossing points between East and West Berlin.
A high concrete wall was built to prevent further escapes to freedom.

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The Bay of Pigs Invasion, 1961

In 1959, Fidel Castro gained control of Cuba, seized property, & took aid from Khrushchev in the Soviet Union

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Cuba: The Bay of Pigs Invasion

In 1959, Fidel Castro gained control of Cuba, seized property, & took aid from Khrushchev in the Soviet Union

Under Eisenhower, the CIA trained Cuban exiles to invade the island & overthrow of Castro
In 1961, JFK authorized the plan, but the Bay of Pigs invasion failed after JFK called off air strikes on Cuba

JFK went on TV & took responsibility for the failure at the Bay of Pigs

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Bay of Pigs Invasion

Background

Fidel Castro was in power in Cuba.
Came to power after a guerrilla war, promised to restore people’s rights and freedoms
Once in power, he seized private businesses and made overtures to Soviet Union.

Kennedy

Kennedy learned that the CIA was training troops to invade Cuba and topple Castro.
His advisors were mixed.
Kennedy was worried about Communism spreading to Latin America.
Kennedy gave the go-ahead.

The Invasion

Bay of Pigs invasion failed.
Information was leaked early.
Air strikes failed.
Castro prepared for a land attack.
Invaders were captured and ransomed back to United States.
Strengthened Castro’s ties to the Soviet Union

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The Cuban Missile Crisis

After the failure at the Bay of Pigs, Soviet leader Khrushchev promised to defend Cuba from the USA
In 1962, U.S. spy planes revealed nuclear missile camps in Cuba

If assembled, Soviet ICBMs in Cuba would give the USSR first strike capability on U.S. targets
JFK warned that he would not allow nuclear missiles in Cuba

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The Cuban Missile Crisis

The potential threat: Cuba with Soviet-provided military equipment & nuclear missiles

Not all missiles in Cuba were operational, �but Khrushchev shipped more missiles to Cuba

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Quick Class Discussion: �How should President Kennedy respond?

Advisors presented JFK with several options
What are the positives/negatives of each?
What should JFK do? Rank order these options

Naval blockade to keep out the in-route Soviet missiles

Diplomacy: trade ICBMs in Cuba for ours in Turkey?

Immediate air strike on existing missile sites

Full military invasion of Cuba; Take out Castro

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Kennedy announced a quarantine (blockade) to keep more missiles out & demanded that the Soviets remove the missiles already in Cuba

Soviet ships, escorted by nuclear-equipped submarines, soon approached the quarantine line & the world waited for World War III

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Cuban Missile Crisis

The standoff ended when a deal was reached:

Soviet ships turned around at the last minute & Khrushchev removed its missiles from Cuba
JFK promised that the U.S. would not invade Cuba & secretly agreed to remove ICBMs from Turkey

The crisis ended as a victory for JFK, but it revealed how close the two sides came to nuclear war

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Effects of the Crisis

Khrushchev agreed to dismantle the missiles if the United States pledged to never invade Cuba.
Both Kennedy and Khrushchev took steps to ease tensions between their countries.
They set up a hotline to allow direct communication during times of crisis.
The Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed, ending atmospheric and underwater testing of nuclear weapons.

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The Cuban Missile Crises

A U.S. U-2 spy plane detected Soviet surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) in Cuba.
The Soviets argued that the SAMs were defensive missiles and swore that they didn’t have offensive missiles in Cuba.
Later U-2 flights showed that the Soviets had lied.

Buildup

U.S. actions in the Bay of Pigs and Berlin crises encouraged hard-line leaders in the Soviet Union.
The Soviets were worried about another invasion of Cuba and U.S. nuclear missiles placed in Turkey.
Kennedy was worried about accusations of being “soft on communism.”

Crisis

Begins

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The Cuban Missile Crisis

Managing

the

Crisis

Kennedy assembled a group of advisors, known as the ExComm, to help him plan a response.

ExComm military members favored an air strike, perhaps followed by a land invasion of Cuba.
Others argued for a naval blockade. Kennedy agreed with this plan.

The world watched as Soviet ships carrying missile parts approached the naval blockade. They turned back.

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How did Kennedy’s foreign policy reflect his views of the world? �

Trained and sent volunteers to Africa, Asia, and Latin America to serve for two years
Most volunteers were young college graduates
Increased goodwill toward the United States

Kennedy’s

Foreign

Policy

Believed in peace that did not have to be enforced with weapons of war
Believed in peace for Americans and for all men and women around the world

Peace

Corps

Offered billions of dollars in aid to Latin America to build schools, hospitals, roads, power plants, and low-cost housing
Intended to counter communism’s influence

Alliance

for

Progress