The Cuban Missile Crisis Part 2

The Cuban Missile Crisis Part 2

Recap of Events October 1962

• US spy plane takes pictures of Soviet Missile sites in Cuba

• the Soviets are installing SS4 and SS5 offensive nuclear missiles

• these missiles could kill tens of millions of Americans within minutes of being launched.

• JFK assembles Ex-Com headed by his brother Bobby Kennedy

• JFK goes on tv and announces the US will set up a naval quarantine of Cuba to prevent the Soviets from sending more missiles to Cuba

• The world holds its breath, wondering if nuclear war is about to erupt.

The reason the scenario is FALSE is explained in this part of the movie. They did have a system set up for the families

Bobby Kennedy explains why it didn't really matter. They are doomed.

Multiple Choice

Scenario (True or False) - The Soviets are on edge and worried that the US is preparing for war. Despite this, the US military detonates a nuclear bomb on Johnston Island in the Pacific. ?

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

Scenario (true or false) - Curtis LeMay, head of the Strategic Air Command tells President Kennedy that a blockade is a weak response. "The big red dog is digging in our backyard and we are justified in shooting him," he claims. Or does he?

• TRUE

• FALSE

This is a scene with General Curtis LeMay

He is in the blue uniform sitting in the chair opposite Kennedy. (when LeMay says "you're in a pretty bad fix, Mr. President. Kennedy's response is a classic!)

Multiple Choice

To add legitimacy to the blockade, Kennedy wants the Organization of American States (countries of North, Central and South America) to unanimously approve the naval quarantine of Cuba. The Organization has never voted unanimously on anything before. What do they do?

• They vote unanimously

• All but one votes to approve

• It doesn't even get a majority of votes, but it gets some

• Only the US and Canada vote to approve

Multiple Choice

Wednesday October 24th. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (heads of each branch of the military) place the US at DEFCON 2, the highest state of alert short of nuclear war. The US has never been at DEFCON 2 before. How does JFK react to this.

• He is glad they took the initiative, and thinks it will scare the Soviets into backing down.

• He is furious and thinks they overstepped their authority. He fears the Soviets will think the US is preparing to attack them.

Multiple Choice

What does Kennedy do in response to the Joint Chiefs risking a nuclear war like this without getting his permission?

• He fires all of them and replaces them with men your loyal

• He doesn't fire them because we need them if we go to war

Thursday October 25th 1962

Two Soviet ships approach the quarantine line set up by the US navy off the coast of Cuba. The US navy moves to intercept them when suddenly a shocking discovery is made?

Multiple Choice

With a Soviet submarine lurking beneath the surface, what does President Kennedy do next?

• He orders the navy to let the ships pass and not risk a battle with the sub.

• He orders the navy to force the sub to the surface, even if it means risking war.

Multiple Choice

Why did the Soviet ships turn around?

• The submarine captain did not want to risk being sunk

• The captains of the ships disobeyed orders and turned around.

• Nikita Khrushchev gave orders not to risk a battle with the US navy

• Fidel Castro telephoned the ships telling them it was not worth risking WW3

Multiple Choice

The Soviets have backed down, the Cuban Missile Crisis is over

• TRUE

• FALSE

_{The Naval quarantine prevents more missiles from reaching Cuba. It does not get rid of the missiles already there.}

JFK now orders low level photography flights of the missile sites even though the planes may get shot at or shot down.

Multiple Choice

You are the US pilot that has just been shot at. General Curtis LeMay wants to know if you were fired at. If so, he will demand JFK order a retaliatory strike. Fearing JFK will feel obligated to agree to this, Ken O'Donnell, (JFK's advisor) asks you not to say you were fired at. What do you do?

• Tell General LeMay the truth, you were fired at

• Lie and say it was "a piece of cake."

JFK's explicit order

Fearing the US military is still trying to start a war, JFK issues an order that the US navy will NOT fire at any ship without his permission. He then sends Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to Naval headquarters to take charge of the blockade. Admiral George Anderson is infuriated by this.

Multiple Choice

Scenario (True or False) A Soviet ship approaches the quarantine line and refuses to stop. Despite JFK's order, Admiral George Anderson orders a US warship to "clear your guns" and fire at the Soviet ship.

• TRUE, but we only fired a warning shot at the ship.

• True, the quarantine had to be enforced and the Soviets were warned.

• False, JFK was in the navy during WWII and the navy respects him.

"The whole world wonders!"

• The US has not shown proof of the missile sites. The Soviets deny they exist.

• People throughout the world do not know who to believe.

• Adlai Stevenson, our UN ambassador, insists the Soviets are lying.

• Soviet Ambassador, Valerie Zorin challenges Stevenson to show proof that there are missiles in Cuba

• Zorin will regret doing this!

• Stevenson responds - "we do have proof and it is irrefutable. Do you ambassador Zorin still deny the Soviets have put nuclear missiles in Cuba. Don't wait for the translation, answer yes or no!"

• "You will get your answer in due time," a flustered Zorin replies.

• "I am prepared to wait until hell freezes over for an answer." Stevenson exclaims.

• Ambassador Zorin refuses to speak. Stevenson pounces like a shark smelling blood. "Well, while we are waiting, why don't we have a look at what the Soviets have been doing in Cuba."

Stevenson presents the proof (U-2 pictures)

The Soviets are caught in a lie. World opinion swings heavily in favor of the United States.

Multiple Choice

With the world blaming the Soviets, the Cuban Missile Crisis is over.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

Friday October 26th - Fearing Nuclear War, Khrushchev sends a message to Kennedy saying he will remove the missiles if the US promises to never invade Cuba.

• TRUE - Khrushchev fears the US is ready for war.

• FALSE - Khrushchev is too proud to back down like this

Multiple Choice

JFK is willing to accept this offer from Khrushchev

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

Scenario (True/False)

Saturday morning - JFK receives a second message from Khrushchev blaming the US for starting the conflict. Khrushchev now says the US must withdraw its nuclear missiles from Turkey or there can be no deal?

• TRUE - Soviet military leaders were furious with Khrushchev for being weak. They pressured him to stand up to Kennedy.

• FALSE - Khrushchev had a temper, but he liked the American people. He was not willing to risk war.

Saturday - Things go from bad to worse

• JFK worries an invasion of Cuba may be necessary now.

• He orders additional U-2 flights to see if the Soviet missile sites are operational.

• Disaster is about to strike.

Multiple Choice

What happens next?

• The SAM missile hits the US plane, blowing it up and killing the pilot.

• The U-2 is hit, but the pilot bails out and survives

• The SAM missile barely misses the plane

Multiple Choice

The Soviets have just shot down a U-2 (the pilot is assumed to be dead). What do you do now, Mr. President?

• Order a retaliatory air strike on the missile site to avenge our pilot.

• Nothing, you wait to make sure it wasn't an accidental firing.

Multiple Choice

Sunday morning

JFK signs an order authorizing the US military to launch an air strike followed by a full scale invasion of Cuba. The attack is to begin Monday morning.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

Scenario - TRUE OR FALSE

Khrushchev gives Soviet commanders in Cuba permission to use tactical nuclear weapons against the US invasion force.

• TRUE

• FALSE

There is still hope

• Kennedy has not given up hope of a settlement.

• He fears the American public will not allow him to back down to the Soviets.

• He meets with Bobby and several advisors, trying to come up with some way to save the world from war.

• Bobby comes up with an idea.

Multiple Choice

Bobby Kennedy came up with which of the following ideas?

• Accept the second message and remove our missiles from Turkey. The public will forgive you in time.

• Ignore the second message and pretend you never got it. Tell Khrushchev you are accepting his first offer.

• Call their bluff, tell Khrushchev we are going to war in 24 hours. He will back down instead of risking war.

One Last Try

• There is time for one last round of negotiations

• The President sends his brother to the Soviet embassy.

• Bobby must convince the Soviets to accept the final offer from the president.

• Otherwise it is war.

A Compromise is reached

• At the very last moment, Khrushchev accepts the deal

• The Soviets agree to remove the missiles

• The US agrees to never invade Cuba

• The US also secretly agrees to remove our missiles from Turkey (six months later)

Multiple Choice

The Cuban Missile Crisis ended when the Soviets agreed to

• remove some of missiles from Cuba

• remove all of the missiles from Cuba

• remove none of the missiles from Cuba

Multiple Choice

President Kennedy promised the Soviets we would never

• invade Cuba

• attack East Berlin

• launch nuclear missiles against anyone

Multiple Choice

The US also agreed to secretly remove our nuclear missiles from _________ 6 months later.

• Germany

• France

• Turkey

Open Ended

what did you find most interesting about the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Poll

What grade would you give President Kennedy (JFK) for the Cuban Missile Crisis

• A - he did an awesome job

• B - he did a good job

• C - he did an okay job

• D - he did a bad job

Open Ended

Explain why you gave JFK the grade you did