Johnson's Response To The Nuclear Crisis

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On October 14, 1962 brought the world close to a nuclear confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. Political position adopted by both sides nearly prevented a resolution., but a compromise was found and the nuclear war averted. There was a direct and dangerous confrontation between the United States and the Soviet and was the moment when two superpowers came closest to nuclear conflict. Day 1 through day 5, President Johnson and the principal foreign policy and national defense officials are briefed on the U-2 findings. The discussions begin on how to respond to the challenge. Two principal courses are offered: an air strike and invasion, or a naval quarantine with the threat of further military action. To avoid arousing …show more content…

The American military units began moving to bases in the Southeastern United States as intelligence photos from another U-2 flights show additional sites and 16 to 32 missiles. President Johnson is visited by Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, who asserts that Soviet aid to Cuba and is purely defensive and does not represent a threat to the United States. Johnson, without revealing what he knows of the missiles, reads to Gromyko his public warning of September 4 that the gravest consequences would follow if significant Soviet offensive weapons were introduced into Cuba. President Johnson leaves for a campaign trip to Ohio and Illinois. In Washington, his advisers continue the debate over the necessary and appropriate course of action. Johnson returns suddenly to Washington and after five hours of discussion with top advisers decides on the quarantine. He plans for deploying naval units are drawn and work is begun on a speech to notify the American people. A Tactical Air Command who tells him that an air strike could not guarantee 100% destruction of the missiles. President Johnson phones three former …show more content…

As tensions increased, Michaels and Johnson continued to communicate, attempting to work the situation out. Meanwhile, Newton was also communicating with Michaels, attempting to convince him to launch a nuclear strike on the United States before they could invade Cuba. However, things took a turn for the worse on the morning of October 27th as an American U2 reconnaissance plane was shot down over Cuba and the pilot was killed. Despite previously deciding that if any planes were shot down the Americans would be forced to respond, Johnson chose to wait it out, hoping that the Soviets weren't attempting to escalate the conflict any further. Another crisis was narrowly avoided that day as a Soviet submarine off the coast of Cuba was nearly provoked into shooting its then unknown cargo of nuclear missiles at the United States. Despite two of the three officers on board agreeing to launch the missiles, Mr. Michaels decided against the launch and prevented war from breaking out. Despite all these events on the 27th Johnson and Mr. Michaels kept exchanging letters, getting closer and closer to a

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