The cuban missile crisis was one of the major climaxes of the cold war, bringing the world the closest it has ever been to a nuclear war. The united states guarantees not invade cuba, as well as secretly remove the american missiles in turkey aimed at the soviet union. April 19, 1961 in a memo for the president, attorney general robert kennedy identifies three possible courses of action. The following year, a direct hot line communication link was installed between washington and moscow to help with similar situations, and the superpowers signed two treaties related to nuclear weapons. Cuban missile crisis lesson plan national museum of the usaf. During the cuban missile crisis nuclear weapons in cuba were aimed at the us, and at the same time nuclear weapons in the us were aimed at cuba. This map depicts the reach of the soviets mediumrange ballistic missiles newly installed in cuba and the threat presented to the u. The americans viewed the cuban missile crisis as one of the most terrifying. Foreign relations of the united states, 19611963, volume xi, cuban missile crisis and aftermath. Cuban missile crisis leading up to october 1962 1 soviet nuclear missiles in cuba 2 the quarantine 3 raising the stakes 4 maximum danger averted 5 understanding the crisis 6 bibliography 7 perhaps no single event in the history of the cold war 8 presented as great a challenge to w. These missiles would have been capable of quickly reaching the united states.
These historical documents are pdf images of formerly classified carbon paper and reports that have been declassified. Timeline overview this lesson enables students who have been studying the cold war to reflect on important dates and events within the cuban missile crisis and gives students who have not studied the cold war a clear overview of significant events during the period of the cuban missile crisis. Designed to help policymakers, students, and interested citizens draw lessons from these critical events half a century ago, this site not only provides background on the crisis that brought the world to the brink of nuclear disaster in october 1962 but also offers tools to understand how. The cuban missile crisis of 1962 gcse worksheet free pdf. Nuclear war has been avoided, and cuban missile crisis comes to an end. Excomm receives a letter from khrushchev stating that the soviets would remove their missiles if president kennedy publicly guarantees the u.
Key precuban missile crisis documents and information foreign relations documents and resources of kennedy administration 19611963 vol vi foreign relations of the united states. A timeline created with timetoasts interactive timeline maker. In 1962, the soviet union built missile bases in cuba 12. The cuban missile crisis comes to a close as soviet leader nikita khrushchev agrees to remove russian missiles from cuba in exchange for a promise from the united states to respect cubas. Cuban missile crisis timeline world history project. Cuban missile crisis world history free pdf download. Aimed at students studying at uk year gcse or equivalent. Mcgeorge bundy had informed the president about the u2 photographs of the missile sites at 8. The website above is good for helping to understand the timeline of events.
The day showdown brought the worlds two superpowers to the brink of nuclear war. In this paper, an historical analysis of the impact of the cuban missile crisis on future. Foreign relations of the united states, 19611963, volume xi. Others involved cuban missile crisiscuban missile crisis. The cuban missile crisis was a day conflict between the united states of. After several days of increasing tensions, the soviet union finally agreed to remove the missiles. Monday, october 15 a u2 reconnaissance aircraft reveals several ss4 nuclear missiles in cuba. Cuban missile crisis 1962 chronology totally timelines. In return, the soviets must completely remove their missiles from cuba.
October 17 discussions continue about how to handle the possible threat in cuba. Jun 11, 2007 another good idea would be to make a timeline in the same format as this, except focusing around the escalation of another cold war crisis e. Lessons from the cuban missile crisis fifty years ago, a united states air force u2 spyplane captured photographic proof that the soviet union was installing offensive nuclear missile sites in. Cuban missile crisiscuban missile crisisandrew wood and dave ryanandrew wood and dave ryan 2. October 26, 1962 to november 15, 1962 the national security. Timeline of the cuban missile crisis the cuban missile. The cuban missile crisisknown as the october crisis or the missile scare in cuba and the caribbean crisis in the former ussrwas a day confrontation in october 1962 between the soviet union and cuba on one side and the united states on the other side. He announces the establishment of a naval quarantine around the island until the soviet union agrees to dismantle the missile sites and to make certain that no additional missiles are shipped to cuba. Kennedy convened an informal group of cabinet officials and top civilian and military advisors the ex comm to consider and plan an appropriate response. May talked about the new book which they edited, the kennedy tapes. On october 18, kennedy met with soviet minister of foreign affairs, andrei gromyko, who claimed the weapons were for defensive purposes only.
Due to the age and poor quality of some of the pdf images, a screen reader may not. The new press, 1992, 1998 chronology of cuban missile crisis compiled for presidents foreign intelligence advisory board pfiab. Inside the white house during the cuban missile crisis. In a 2012 book, the cuban missile crisis in american memory.
We now know that the soviets actually had delivered the warheads already. With the push of a button on either side, a nuclear. Missiles in cuba can beaflexible component in any secondarylevelsocial studies course, particularly u. October 16, 1962at the excomm meeting, a cia photo interpreter shows evidence of missiles sites on cuba taken by a u2 spy plane.
On 14th october 1962 a us spy plane flying over cuba reported the installation of russian nuclear missile bases. See resource for october 18, 1962 for brief description of the cuban missile crisis and previous clips in this series for timeline events up to this date. But the cuban missile crisis did not replicate on the beach, and so thoughts about a cuban missile war passed unobtrusively into history. Apr 10, 2014 the nuclear race had come to a breaking point during an incident in cuba, called the 2. Indeed, a s the cuban c risis, the eve nt is badly misnamed. After the failed bay of pigs invasion, soviet nuclear missiles were placed in cuba in order to prevent another invasion. Carter s memorandum is also reproduced in cia documents on the cuban missile crisis, 1962, pp. See resource for october 18, 1962 for brief description of the cuban missile crisis and timeline up to this date.
Cuban missile crisis handout free gcse level worksheet. While participants and historians of the crisis never tire of recalling its details and its dangers, the majority of the generation that lived through it, and subsequent generations, never became emotionally. No to trident global abolition no to us missile defence antiwar no to nato no to nuclear power depleted uranium get involved sign the petition events your local area donate leave a. Myths versus reality, sheldon stern demonstrates that. Cuba openly aligns itself with the soviet union and their policies. Due to the age and poor quality of some of the pdf images, a screen reader may not be able to process the images into word documents. The cuban missile crisis began for the united states on the morning of october 16, when president kennedy was informed of the discovery of missile sites in cuba by u2 surveillance aircraft.
Remember that the damage described in the timeline has not. Cuban missile crisis chronology 1 november 18, 1962 january 1992 includes list of abbreviations compiled for the cuban missile crisis, 1962. Presidential foreign policy throughout this historic event. Bay of pigs invasion see cuban missile crisis timeline. Both countires were sobered by the cuban missile crisis.
The cuban missile crisis began on october 15 when the united states. Oct 14, 2012 lessons from the cuban missile crisis fifty years ago, a united states air force u2 spyplane captured photographic proof that the soviet union was installing offensive nuclear missile sites in. Here, as the situation escalates, that sense of percieved failure is going to be enormously high. While participants and historians of the crisis never tire of recalling its details and its dangers, the majority of the generation that. Students will have a solid understating of the cuban missile crisis, americas role and u. The cuban missile crisis is part of the larger conflict between the u. Senator kennedy talked about his memories of the cuban missile crisis and its impact on the nation and president kennedy. The cuban missile crisis is a time when the united states and the soviet union almost had a nuclear war. Krushchevs economic and agricultural reform failures backlit his percieved failure in the cuban missile crisis. Aimed at students studying at uk year gcse or equivalent free to download use as you wish in the classroom or home environment information. Cuban missile crisis timeline timeline description. October 16, and kennedy immediately called for a meeting of his principal advisers at 11. The cuban missile crisis was a confrontation that took place in 1962 between the united states and the soviet union over the soviet unions sending of nuclear missiles to fidel castro 1926.
Cuban missile crisis chronology 1 the national security archive. The nuclear race had come to a breaking point during an incident in cuba, called the 2. Npic analysts used their expertise in nuclear missiles and launch platforms to determine the radius of the threat posed by the missiles in cuba. In retaliation, kennedy signed proclamation 3504 on october 23, 1962, which called for a naval quarantine of cuba. Designed to help policymakers, students, and interested citizens draw lessons from these critical events half a century ago, this site not only provides background on the crisis that brought the world to the brink of nuclear disaster in october 1962 but also offers tools to understand. They also took audience calls, faxes and electronic mail. If the present international system is characterized by daytoday polycentrism, the cuban missile crisis shows that its latent bipolarity can come to the surface under certain circumstances. Click the button below to get instant access to this resource for use in the classroom or at a home. Complete a timeline in yourthe cuban missile crisis. The cuban missile crisis was among the scariest events of the cold war.
The new press, 1992, 1998 january 1, 1959 to september 27, 1962. Soviet union from bringing the missile warheads and additional military equipment to the island. The cuban missile crisis, also known as the october crisis of 1962 spanish. The picture left is one of those taken from the spy plane and clearly shows missile transporter trailers and tents where fuelling and maintenance took place. President kennedy convenes his executive committee to consider americas options.
The cuban missile crisis known as the october crisis or the missile scare in cuba and the caribbean crisis in the former ussrwas a day confrontation in october 1962 between the soviet union and cuba on one side and the united states on the other side. Harvard kennedy schools belfer center has created this site as a resource for the cuban missile crisis. The missiles of november, december, january, february. Oct 23, 2019 the cuban missile crisis comes to a close as soviet leader nikita khrushchev agrees to remove russian missiles from cuba in exchange for a promise from the. Jfk meets with the secretary of defense, robert mcnamara, and the members of the joint chiefs of staff before leaving on a scheduled campaign trip to ohio and illinois. The cuban missile crisis 2 this urgent transformation of cuba into an important strategic baseby the presence of these large, longrange, and clearly offensive weapons of sudden mass destruction constitutes an explicit threat to the peace and security of all americans, in flagrant and deliberate defiance of the rio pact of 1947.
If the cuban missile crisis was the most dangerous passage of the cold war, the most dangerous moment of the cuban missile crisis was the evening of saturday, 27 october 1962, when the resolution of the crisiswar or peace appeared to hang in the balance. Not wanting to expose what he already knew and to avoid panicking the american public,kennedy did not reveal that he was already aware of the missile buildup. Cuban missile crisis days timeline timetoast timelines. Jfk learns of missiles in cuba the first of the thirteen days were filled with panic and tension as president john f kennedy learned of missiles in cuba. Cuban missile crisis timelinefrom history timelines. On october 15, 1962, the soviet union was discovered attempting to install nuclear missiles in cuba. Cuban missile crisis days timeline created by michaelaq. This lesson enables students who have been studying the cold war to. Foreign relations of the united states, 19611963, volume. A timeline chronology of the main events of the cuban missile crisis of october 1962, where the united states discovered soviet missiles on cuba. The cuban missile crisis database of k12 resources.