Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
Kennedy & Cuba > What triggered the missile crisis?
What triggered the Cuban missile crisis?
Cuba is an island in the Caribbean, 90 miles off the coast of Florida. Between 1933-1958, the
island was under the rule of a corrupt dictator, Fulgencio Batista. Under Batista, businesses in
the USA exploited Cuba's industries, especially its sugar plantations. However, a revolution in
1958 overthrew Batista and replaced him with a popular leader named Fidel Castro.
Castro's promises to restore freedom and national pride to the people of Cuba caused alarm in
the USA, where his slogans sounded like communism. When Castro visited the USA, he was
told that the president was too busy to see him. By contrast, Nikita Khrushchev gave Castro a
warm welcome in the USSR, which further worried the White House.
Khrushchev knew that the USA had nuclear weapons based in Italy and Turkey aimed at
targets in the USSR. He felt that this provided justification for the USSR to also place its
nuclear missiles abroad. In the summer of 1962, Khrushchev personally issued an order for
Soviet missiles to be shipped to the island of Cuba.
In September 1962, American politicians voiced their concerns about Soviet military activity in
Cuba. On 14 October 1962, an American U2 spy plane took a series of photographs over
Cuba. The photos revealed a nuclear missile site being built by the Soviets. With the exception
of Seattle, every major American city was within range of nuclear missiles launched from
Cuba.
On 16 October, Kennedy was shown the photos. He decided that the missiles would have to
be returned to the USSR. His response to Soviet actions brought the world the closest it had
ever been to the point of nuclear war.
Examine these sources to find out more:
Telegram about missile
bases in Cuba, 1962
Pentagon satellite photo,
28 October 1962
Map & document showing
missile range, 1962
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Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
Kennedy & Cuba > What triggered the missile crisis?
Source 1
Telegram from the British ambassador in the USA to the British Foreign Office about
missile bases in Cuba, 25 October 1962
(Catalogue ref: FO 371/162380)
Questions
1. How concerned do you think the British might be that the Soviets had missiles in Cuba
pointed at America? Explain you answer.
2. Do you agree or disagree with the view that Kennedy had no real choice but to take firm
action against the USSR over the missiles in Cuba? Explain your point of view.
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HEROES & VILLAINS
Kennedy & Cuba > What triggered the missile crisis?
Source 1
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Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
Kennedy & Cuba > What triggered the missile crisis?
Source 2
Pentagon satellite photograph showing a missile base on Cuba, 28 October 1962
(Popperfoto PPP30016884)
Questions
1. Looking at this photo, how much trouble have the Soviets taken to hide their activities from
American reconnaissance?
2. How did the Soviet missiles on Cuba change the balance of power between the USA and
the USSR?
3. Do you agree or disagree with the view that Kennedy had no real choice but to take firm
action against the USSR over the missiles in Cuba? Explain your point of view.
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Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
Kennedy & Cuba > What triggered the missile crisis?
Source 2
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HEROES & VILLAINS
Kennedy & Cuba > What triggered the missile crisis?
Source 3
British map and document showing the range of missiles on Cuba, 22 October 1962
(Catalogue ref: PREM 11/3689)
3a
3b
Questions
1. Why would this information have disturbed the people of the USA?
2. Would this information have disturbed the British?
3. What pressures would the release of this information have placed on Kennedy, bearing in
mind that the mid-term elections were due in November 1962?
4. Do you agree or disagree with the view that Kennedy had no real choice but to take firm
action against the USSR over the missiles in Cuba? Explain your point of view.
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HEROES & VILLAINS
Kennedy & Cuba > What triggered the missile crisis?
Source 3a
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Learning Curve
HEROES & VILLAINS
Kennedy & Cuba > What triggered the missile crisis?
Source 3b
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