Cuban Missile Crisis

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"It is insane that two men, sitting on opposite sides of the world, should be able to decide to bring an end to civilization." (John F. Kennedy) The Cuban Missile Crisis struck fear in the United States and across the world. Patience and smart planning was needed to avert a major world conflict. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the United States was forced to act in order to halt the Soviet influence in the west, safeguard itself and to protect the world.
The rise of the crisis came without warning. Cubans caught word of the arrival and deployment of these missiles and hundreds of reports were sent to Miami, Florida. These missiles were perceived to be mediocre. Therefore the missiles were not taken seriously by the people. CIA agents further explored information on the missiles in Cuba and discovered transport trucks carrying large cylindrical cargo that could not make turns without backing up and also discovered some of the locations of the suspected missiles. As a result, photographs secretly taken from an air force operated American U-2 spy plane verified Soviet missile build sites.
The discovering of these missiles capable of mass destruction was shocking, and even more alarming, they were in range of Washington, D.C. Cuba is only about ninety miles away from the United States. In fact, on a clear day it can be viewed off the coast of Florida. The newly found information about these Soviet warheads was not given to President John F. Kennedy until the next day to let him get some rest and be ready for what was to come the next day.
President Kennedy didn’t want the Soviet Union to know that he had discovered the missile build sites before he could take some form of action. A secret meeting with nine members of the Nationa...

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...ut both peace and freedom, here in this Hemisphere and, we hope, around the world.” (John F. Kennedy)

Works Cited

Dallek, Robert, and Terry Golway. "The Cuban Missile Crisis." Let Every Nation Know: John F. Kennedy in His Own Words. Naperville, IL: Source MediaFusion, 2006. 184. Print.

Goldman, Jerry, and Giel Stein. "History." The Cuban Missile Crisis. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. .

"Cuban Missile Crisis." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. .

"Modern History Sourcebook: John F. Kennedy: Address on the Cuban Crisis October 22, 1962." Modern History Sourcebook: John F. Kennedy: Address on the Cuban Crisis October 22,1962. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. .

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