This set of slides combines Parts 2 & 3 of the Cuban Missile Crisis (Part 1 was already sent as a video). Part 2 focuses on the escalation of tensions that led to the Cuban Missile Crisis and how it brought the world close to nuclear war. Part 3 focuses on the resolution of the conflict and how it impacted the parties involved.

1. THE
CUBAN
MISSILE
CRISIS

2. The Cuban
Missile
Crisis
(CMC)
Part 1:
How did Cuba vs. the USA become part
of the Cold War?
Part 2:
Why did conflict over Cuba almost cause
nuclear war in 1962?
Part 3:
Who ‘won’ the Cuban Missile Crisis?

3. RECAP
• What is the Monroe Doctrine?
• Who was Colonel Fulgencio Batista?
• Describe one of Castro’s policies and explain
how it angered the USA.
• What was the Bay of Pigs invasion?
• What was the name of the Soviet Premier
during the CMC?

4. Quick Buzz
“Fidel Castro was
responsible for
escalating tensions
between Cuba & the
USA in the late 1950s.”

5. Part 2:
Why did
conflict over
Cuba almost
cause nuclear
war in 1962?

6. Note-taking
Skills
• Take down key phrases – both spoken and on
the slides – rather than word for word
• Write down questions that you have as the
lecturer is speaking
• Try copying in a non-linear manner
– e.g. use lines/arrows to link relevant info from
different parts of the lecture
– e.g. draw quick mind-maps of connected info
– e.g. sketch maps, timelines, etc as necessary
• Think as you copy – don’t just copy
mindlessly!

7. Targets for
Today
• Identify the major figures involved in the
Cuban Missile Crisis
• Describe the key events that led to the Cuban
Missile Crisis
• Explain how the Cuban Missile Crisis almost
led to nuclear war

8. Fidel Castro
Prime Minister
of Cuba

9. Nikita
Khrushchev
Premier of the
USSR

10. John F.
Kennedy
President of
the USA

11. Part 2:
Why did
conflict over
Cuba almost
cause nuclear
war in 1962?
1. Installation of Soviet nuclear missiles in
Cuba (May – Oct 4 1962)
2. American discovery of Soviet missile
deployment (Oct 14-16 1962)
3. American considers how to respond to the
missiles in Cuba (Oct 14-19, 1962)
4. American naval blockade of Cuba (Oct 22,
1962)

13. Installation
of Soviet
nuclear
missiles in
Cuba
(May-Oct 4
1962)
Why did the Soviet Union install
nuclear missiles in Cuba?
Background
• Unhappiness over West Berlin
• Sino-Soviet split
• Nuclear imbalance
• US Jupiter missiles in Turkey

14. Problem 1:
West Berlin
• BerlinWall just built in
1961
• Looking for a way to
integrateWest Berlin
into East Germany
• Use missiles as
leverage

15. Problem 2:
Sino-Soviet
Split
• China & the USSR
disagreed over their
interpretation of
‘communism’
• Khrushchev wanted to
demonstrate Soviet
leadership & power

16. Problem 3:
Nuclear
imbalance
• The USSR had a
smaller & weaker
nuclear arsenal than
the USA
• Missiles in Cuba would
increase Soviet
nuclear capabilities 1962

17. Problem 4:
Jupiter Missiles
in Turkey
• America had nuclear
missiles (called Jupiter
missiles) inTurkey
• Khrushchev felt that
missiles in Cuba would
counter the missile
threat fromTurkey

18. Installation
of Soviet
nuclear
missiles in
Cuba
(May-Oct 4
1962)
Why did the Soviet Union install
nuclear missiles in Cuba?
Political gains:
• Leverage overWest Berlin
• Counter Sino-Soviet split
Military & strategic gains:
• Narrow the nuclear imbalance
• Counter Jupiter missiles inTurkey

19. Installation
of Soviet
nuclear
missiles in
Cuba
(May-Oct 4
1962)
How the Soviet missiles were deployed in
Cuba
• Castro wanted a deterrent against future US
invasions by involving the USSR
• Khrushchev wanted to advance the USSR’s
position against the USA (see previous slide)
• Khrushchev chose to deploy the missiles
secretly – even though it was perfectly legal
• Castro accepted the risk of nuclear war as
necessary for Cuba’s defence
• Castro and Khrushchev agreed to the secret
transportation of missiles on June 10, 1962
Deployment began on Oct 4, 1962

22. American
discovery of
Soviet
missile
deployment
(Oct 14
1962)

23. American
discovery of
Soviet
missile
deployment
(Oct 14-16
1962)
• American spy plane photographs
missile sites in Cuba on Oct 14, 1962
• Even the Soviet ambassador was
unaware of the deployment
– He informed Kennedy that only defensive
weapons were being placed on Cuba
– Kennedy found out about the missiles before
he did!!!
• Kennedy receives a report on Oct 16,
1962, stating that Soviet offensive
nuclear missiles were located in Cuba

24. Quick Buzz
In your opinion, what was the
main reason why Khrushchev
decided to deploy nuclear
missiles in Cuba?

25. Part 2:
How did the
conflict over
Cuba become
a Cold War
crisis?
1. Installation of Soviet nuclear missiles in
Cuba (May – Oct 4 1962)
2. American discovery of Soviet missile
deployment (Oct 14-16 1962)
3. American considers how to respond to the
missiles in Cuba (Oct 14-19, 1962)
4. American naval blockade of Cuba (Oct 22,
1962)

26. American
considers
how to
respond to
the missiles
in Cuba
(Oct 14-19,
1962)

27. American
considers
how to
respond to
the missiles
in Cuba
(Oct 14-19,
1962)
Key questions considered by Kennedy:
• Why did Khrushchev deploy offensive
missiles to Cuba?
• Why was it done in secret?
• Was this Khrushchev’s decision or the
decision of hardliners in the Soviet
government?
• Was the USSR planning a ‘first strike’
nuclear attack on the USA?

28. American
considers
how to
respond to
the missiles
in Cuba (Oct
14-19, 1962)
Hardliners:
Politicians who take an uncompromising positions on
problems and want to deal with them in a strong and
extreme way (p.90)
‘First strike’ nuclear attack:
The idea of wiping out the opponent’s weapons & armed
forced before they can retaliate (p.90)
MutuallyAssured Destruction (MAD):
The theory that a nuclear war would destroy the whole
world, leaving no victors

30. American
considers
how to
respond to
the missiles
in Cuba
(Oct 14-19,
1962)
American options (p.92):
1. Do nothing
2. Use diplomatic measures
3. Approach Castro to reject the missiles
4. Invade Cuba
5. Launch an airstrike
6. Impose naval blockade
What would you have chosen &
why?

31. American
naval
blockade of
Cuba (Oct
22, 1962)
Kennedy decides…
1. Impose naval blockade

33. American
naval
blockade of
Cuba (Oct
22, 1962)
USA: Strategy of brinkmanship (or
brinksmanship)
• Brinksmanship is the act of pushing a
confrontation to the limit, hoping that this
will intimidate the opponent into backing
down (see p.62)
• Kennedy hoped to force the removal of the
missiles without actually declaring war
• The decision to blockade was announced on
Oct 22, 1962
• All incoming vessels to Cuba would be
checked for weapons before being allowed
to carry on

34. American
naval
blockade of
Cuba (Oct
22, 1962)
USSR & Cuba: Escalation of tensions
• Khrushchev was outraged and condemned
the blockade as an illegal act of war
• Khrushchev recalled some ships but allowed
those closer to Cuba to carry on
• Soviet forces were placed on high alert
• He actually authorised the use of nuclear
weapons as a defensive measure, but these
orders were withheld by the Soviet Defence
Minister
• Castro mobilised his forces
• Castro gave a speech on Oct 23 declaring his
willingness to die fighting

35. Explain why both USSR and USA were to be
blamed for the escalating tensions during the
Cuban Missile Crisis. [8]

36. THE
CUBAN
MISSILE
CRISIS

37. Targets for
Today
• Identify the major events that led to the
resolution the Cuban Missile Crisis
• Describe the key developments that
contributed to the end of the Cuban Missile
Crisis
• Explain who ‘won’ the Cuban Missile Crisis
and why.

38. The Cuban
Missile
Crisis
(CMC)
Part 1:
How did Cuba vs. the USA become part
of the Cold War?
Part 2:
Why did conflict over Cuba almost cause
nuclear war in 1962?
Part 3:
Who ‘won’ the Cuban Missile Crisis?

39. RECAP
• What are the names of the three key leaders
during the CMC?
• Give one reason why the USSR wanted to
install nuclear missiles on Cuba.
• On what day (and in which year) did the USA
discover the Soviet missiles on Cuba?
• Define Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).
• What did the USA decide to do in response to
the Soviet missiles on Cuba?

40. Part 3:
Who ‘won’
the Cuban
Missile
Crisis?
• How was the crisis was resolved?
• Why were Kennedy & Khrushchev
willing to end the crisis?
• How did the CMC affect the Cold War?

41. How was
the crisis
was
resolved?
1. Khrushchev’s 1st appeal for peace (26
Oct 1962)
2. Khrushchev’s 2nd appeal for peace (27
Oct 1962)
3. The U-2 spy plane incident (27 Oct
1962)
4. Khrushchev accepts Kennedy’s deal
(28 Oct 1962)
5. Khrushchev removes undeclared
missiles in Cuba (22 Nov 1962)

42. Khrushchev’s
1st appeal for
peace
(26 Oct 1962)
• Khrushchev realised that his actions made
tensions worse, not better
• He misjudged America’s reaction to the
missile deployment
• He offered to withdraw the missiles if the
USA promised not to invade Cuba
• However, military generals in Cuba
started preparing the missiles for firing
at the USA
• Castro declared that Cuba would open
fire on American spy planes

43. Khrushchev’s
2nd appeal for
peace
(27 Oct 1962)
• As America did not respond immediately,
Khrushchev became more demanding the
next day
• His new condition: America must remove the
Jupiter missiles inTurkey
• This sudden change in Khrushchev’s attitude
made Kennedy extremely worried
• Castro continued preparing for war and
argued that a first strike might be necessary
• Robert Kennedy (JFK’s brother) and Anatoly
Dobrynin (USSR ambassador to the US)
discussed the possibility of a deal including
the Jupiters inTurkey

44. The U-2 spy
plane
incident
(27 Oct
1962)
• Khrushchev told the Soviet soldiers not
to use their nuclear weapons without
permission
• However, a Soviet commander fired a
non-nuclear missile to shoot down an
American U2 plane over Cuba
• Khrushchev and Kennedy realised that
the conflict was getting out of control
• This pushed them towards a resolution
before an accidental war erupted

46. Khrushchev
accepts
Kennedy’s
deal
(28 Oct 1962)
Khrushchev publicly accepted
Kennedy’s response to his
1st appeal for peace
Deal:
The USA will not invadeCuba
=
Soviet missiles in Cuba removed
(Khrushchev also accepts Kennedy’s offer to
remove the Jupiter missiles inTurkey… but keeps it
SECRET!!!)

47. Khrushchev
removes
undeclared
missiles in
Cuba
(22 Nov 1962)
• Castro was extremely upset because
Khrushchev seemed to have betrayed
him
– Castro was not consulted throughout
– Castro wasn’t even informed prior to Khrushchev’s public
announcement
• The USSR originally wanted to leave
some nuclear missiles in Cuba
– These missiles weren’t included in the original agreement
with Kennedy
• The breakdown in relations between
Cuba & the USSR led to the removal of
these undeclared missiles as well

48. Part 3:
Who ‘won’
the Cuban
Missile
Crisis?
• How was the crisis was resolved?
• Why were Kennedy & Khrushchev
willing to end the crisis?
• How did the CMC affect the Cold War?

49. Why were
Kennedy &
Khrushchev
willing to end
the crisis?
3Cs that led to cooperation
Cooling Down
• Kennedy and the ExCom didn’t want to escalate
tensions without knowing what the USSR wanted
• Two-day gap between Kennedy’s announcement & the
blockade gave Khrushchev time to think
Consequences
• Both leaders realised MAD would be disastrous
• Both leaders ignored the aggressive demands of their
respective hardliners & military leaders
Concerns
• Both Kennedy & Khrushchev were facing political
pressure in their own countries
• Both needed a face-saving way to get out of the
conflict without resorting to war

50. Why were
Kennedy &
Khrushchev
willing to
end the
crisis?
US Allies:
• Most US allies in Europe were living under the threat of
nuclear attack anyway
• The UK and NATO felt that the US had overreacted
Soviet Allies:
• Most Soviet allies wanted the USSR to take firm
military action against the USA (e.g. China)
• Khrushchev feared that a USSR-US war would lead to a
global nuclear war
Public Opinion:
• American people held protests to caution Kennedy
• Major leaders like the Pope and the UN Secretary-
General tried to mediate between the US & USSR

52. Part 3:
Who ‘won’
the Cuban
Missile
Crisis?
• How was the crisis was resolved?
• Why were Kennedy & Khrushchev
willing to end the crisis?
• How did the CMC affect the Cold War?

53. How did
the CMC
affect the
Cold War?
Implications for the leaders:
• Refer to p.103
• Summarise/Paraphrase each section (e.g.
Kennedy  reputation) into a phrase of 10
words or less
– E.g. Courageous against Soviet
aggression; demonstrated strong
leadership amidst hard-liners’ opposition
5 minutes to
summarise/paraphrase

54. How did
the CMC
affect the
Cold War?
Establishment of the Moscow-
Washington hotline
What was it? (not in the textbook!)
___________________________________
___________________________________
Impact:
Allowed the leaders of the USA & USSR
to communicate directly
Reduced possible misinterpretation of
each other’s actions

55. How did
the CMC
affect the
Cold War?
Nuclear disarmament
What was it?
________________________________________
One example:
• LimitedTest BanTreaty (5 Aug, 1963)
• Signed by the USA, USSR & the UK
• Nuclear weapons could only be tested
underground
Why did it fail?

56. Country
What they
wanted
before the
crisis
Things GAINED
after the crisis
Things LOST after
the crisis
WINNER
or
LOSER
Cuba
• Independence
• Protection from
US invasion
The
USA
The
USSR

57. Making good inferences
• Circle the key details in the cartoon
(words, people, etc.)
• Describe the relationship between them
• How does this relationship say about the
issue/given claim?
Writing good desired outcomes
• What was happening when this source
was published?
• How does the cartoonist want people to
react after seeing this source?