Perhaps the most critical moment that had occurred to the United States and the world of the last century is the Cuban Missile Crisis. The significance of this event was that it had brought the world to the closest it could ever be to a nuclear war. Millions of lives, cultures and infrastructure would have been lost if it was not splendidly dealt with. Yet, a man was able to prevent this devastation, and he was none other than President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) of the United States. How was he significant to the event? This research paper will discuss it with the points that are based on JFK’s characteristics. Hence, to provide an overview of this paper; the outbreak of nuclear warfare was prevented in the Cuban Missile Crisis specifically by John F. Kennedy’s many distinguished characteristics. The first point that made John F. Kennedy responsible for handling the Cuban Missile Crisis, well, was his way of managing the public. In every crisis, a leader must always keep in mind of the reactions of the people because if it is ill dealt with, disastrous and chaotic consequences could ensue. Thus, even though nuclear warfare was prevented; credit should also be given to how the public of the United States did not end up in turmoil. To access how the public did not end up in chaos, one has to look into the genesis of when the majority of the American citizens received the news of the Cuban Missile Crisis in the first place. This leaves with only one source, which was the public address from President John F. Kennedy on October 22, 1962.1 In many ways John F. Kennedy’s decision to have this speech as well as the contents itself, reflected how he was instrumental to success in keeping the public calm. The president could hav... ... middle of paper ... ...uba_mis_cri/declass.htm • This source talks about the events before and after the crisis (Historical Encyclopedia) ________________________________________________________________________ Swisher, Clarice, People Who Made History: John F. Kennedy (San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc. 2000) • This book gives several details that occurred throughout P. Kennedy’s life (Book) ________________________________________________________________________ The Cuban Missile Crisis Speech by John F. Kennedy, broadcasted on 22 October, 1962: available on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOnY6b-qy_8 • Speech announcing the threat of the Cuban Missile Crisis ________________________________________________________________________ UN Ambassador Adlai E. Stevenson, to President Kennedy, 17 October, 1962. Located in The Kennedy’s and Cuba book Page. 177 (Chicago)
One day, in the early 60s the US Government discovered that the Soviet Union had a nuclear missile on the island of Cuba. So, the US government asked the Soviets to get rid of them. It was a bold thing to do because anything could have happened. Things between the US and the Soviets were already tense because of the cold war. For fourteen days, tension grew between the nations. Not knowing if this missile aimed and ready to fire at the US. Kennedy decided to give this speech the “Cuban Missile Crisis Address”. The address was used was to announce there will be a naval blockade on Cuba until the crisis is solved. This address was very effective because Kennedy did not say he was going to start
May, Ernest R. "John F Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis." BBC News. BBC, 18 Nov. 2013.
The account is told from Robert F. Kennedy's point of view. Kennedy was a key player in the decisions made during the thirteen days of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy believed that the United States should try and resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis peacefully and that the United States needed to try and avoid resolving to violent measures. Kennedy took over for his brother, the President, on many occasions. He led important meetings and tried to negotiate an understanding with the other cabinet members who were involved.
...ity of the blame went onto Kennedy's record as not being the one that had planned it out and not giving the go ahead for the second air raid. It was later proven that no matter what the outcome of the second air raid would have been, it would not have mattered. The CIA also released a document taking the full responsibility and blame for the incident at the Bay of Pigs. The Cuban Missile Crisis not only worried the U.S. but also worried the rest of the world as to how it would turn out. The Soviet's backed Cuba as an ally and fed them missiles and the supplies to build the missile silos in Cuba. The Soviet's said they did this as a counter measure incase we did in fact invade Cuba. Between these two major conflicts of the time, it can be said that the two countries were not battling over Cuba in itself, but more or less battling over the belief of Communism.
The Cuban missile crisis was a major turning point in American history. It sparked conflict between two of the most powerful countries and almost led to possibly the most horrific war ever. This point in American history also caused long lasting tension between the United States and Cuba and posed as the most terrifying 13 days in United States history.
( Starts walking around the stage ) in the day October 14th, 1959. The prime minister of Cuba, Fidel Castro sent out a message that change how citizens felt and made them feel hopeless. Fidel Castro told America that he wants to take it over and telling them to surrender. Everybody felt scared and hopeless. Fidel Castro was going to use ballistic nuclear missiles,
Christine Kreiser, in her article “JFK: trials, triumph and tragedy,” highlights some of the extreme high and low points of JFK’s presidency. She uses quotes to highlight the president’s use of chiasmus in his inaugural address, such as “It was a call to service ("ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country").” Her tone really emphasizes the intenseness of the presidency. This evidence suggests that JFK left a lasting impression, one that will be seen for a long time to come.
On October 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy reached out to America and the Cubans with his Cuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation. During this time, the Cold War had occupied several countries of world. This war resulted from tensions, military and political, between Russia and its allies and America, its allies, and the Western Hemisphere. When President Kennedy gave his speech, Russia had occupied Cuba and began building military bases that contained nuclear warheads and other deadly missiles. People of America saw this as a threat to the freedom of the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere. In a time of great tension and fear, President Kennedy delivered his spectacular and reassuring speech that appealed to the citizens of American in several ways.
Comparable to no other moment in history, the Cuban Missile Crisis shaped a generation entering the nuclear age with unease and tension. Decisions ultimately were made by the leaders of the nations which were undoubtedly shaped and influenced from voices far exceeding the three men’s own ideologies. The opinions and beliefs of those closest to the leaders with large vested interest in the Crisis dictated monumental moments throughout the thirteen-day standoff. The issue arouse on the morning of October 16th when National Security Advisor McGeorge Bundy awoke President Kennedy with startling photographs taken by U-2 aircraft over Cuba’s mainland. The photos proved that there were Soviet Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles on the island, which is only 90 miles from American shoreline. Long before the Cuban Missile Crisis, as noted by the JFK Presidential Library, “Kennedy warned of the Soviet's growing arsenal of intercontinental ballistic missiles and pledged to revitalize American nuclear forces.”...
Burns, Bradford E. Latin America: A Concise Interpretive History. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, 2002.
Robert Kennedy’s memoir, Thirteen Days, details the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis through his own eyes. How he himself perceived the action around him and his brother, John F. Kennedy, reacted as well. The Cuban Missile crisis was, to put it mildly, a huge effect on life in the United States. It was during these thirteen days that many people feared the world would come to an end through nuclear warfare. The Soviets were building missiles in Cuba and the United States was trying very hard to diffuse the situation. The plans that President John F, Kennedy set in motion in order to prevent this nuclear war showed us what kind of president he was. It is through these plans that we can see just what ideas play an important part in decision
The Cuban Missile Crisis lasted two weeks in the midst of the Cold War, and brought the world closer to nuclear war than ever before. In October of 1962 multiple nuclear missiles of the Soviet Union’ s were discovered in Cuba, a mere 90 miles south of the United States. Given the communist ties between Cuba and the USSR, this poised a considerable threat to our national security. Throughout the 14 days the two leaders, John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev struggled to clearly understand each others‘ genuine intentions. Actions taken by each state during this crisis demonstrates the realist point of view, in a variety of ways. The fundamentals of Realism will be explored and explained along with actions taken during this crisis from a realist point of view.
Stern, Sheldon M. The Cuban Missile Crisis in American Memory: Myths versus Reality. Stanford, CA: Stanford Univ., 2012. Print.
Nathan, James A. "Chapter 9: The Kennedy-Khrushchev Letters: An Overview." The Cuban Missile Crisis Revisited. New York: St. Martin's, 1992. 281.
One of the main causes of the missile crisis was the policies and politics of the United States. John F. Kennedy was a strong opposer of Communism, and set up a foreign policy. In a speech, JFK stated “Foreign policy today, irrespective of what we might wish, in its impact on our daily lives, overshadows everything else. Expenditures, taxation, domestic prosperity, the extent of social sciences — all hinge on the basic issue of war or peace”. Kennedy believed that foreign policy and anti-Communism were key to politicians. In his efforts as an anti-Communist, he also established Peace Corps and the Alliance for Progress. Through Peace Corps, volunteers were trained and sent to developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to serve as teachers, health care workers, and agricultural advisors to aid them in their development. Because of a steadily deteriorating relationship with Latin America, Kennedy also established the Alliance for Progress and the Agency for International Development. Through these two programs, over $20 billion dollars were loaned in aid to build schools, hospitals, roads, houses, and power plants, as well as to promote democracy. The conflict came f...