Cuban Missile Crisis :: essays research papers

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a time when tensions were running high in all parts of the world. Many nations were frightened that nuclear war would put everyone in misery. While â€Å"America was holding their breath as the possibility of nuclear world war grew greater and greater as the Soviet Union continued to supply Cuba with thermonuclear weapons† (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=28554&tocid=0).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1960, as conflicts arose between Cuba and the United States. During this time Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev secretly began to supply Cuba with â€Å"missiles that could hit much of the eastern United States within a few minutes if launched from Cuba† (Leckie 957). This missiles could easily destroy all of the US’s national defense in under 17 Minutes. â€Å"Khrushchev built 42 secret missile sites† (Littell 492), and in 1962 the United States learned that the Soviet Union had begun missile shipments to Cuba by the U-2 spy planes that flew over the island. â€Å"The photos showed two types of missiles: medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBM) able to travel about 1100 nautical miles (about 2000 km, or 1300 mi) and intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM) able to reach targets at a distance of about 2200 nautical miles (about 4100 km, or 2500 mi)† (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=28554&tocid=0). â€Å"Fear swept over the country and the American citizens supported their president in planning action.† (Bender 330). President John F Kennedy warned the soviets â€Å"the gravest issues would arise† if they were to place nuclear weapons in Cuba.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ People all over the world feared this standoff would led to World War III and a nuclear disaster† (Littell 493). After carefully considering the alternatives of an immediate U.S. invasion of Cuba (or air strikes of the missile sites), a blockade of the island, President John F. Kennedy decided to place a naval â€Å"quarantine,† or blockade, on Cuba to prevent further Soviet shipments of missiles. President John F Kennedy also stated that missile strike launched from Cuba would be considered as an act of war by the Soviet Union. He also made it clear that an attack on the US would result in a direct retaliation on the Soviet Union. During this time, soviet ships bound for Cuba altered this way and began their way back to the Soviet Union.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On October 28, 1962 Khrushchev capitulated, informing Kennedy that work on the missile sites would be halted and that the missiles already in Cuba would be returned to the Soviet Union.