Kennedy’s Foreign Policy and the Cuban Missile Crisis

Responding to the Cuban Revolution

• Fidel Castro has recently led a revolution in Cuba, overthrowing Fulgencio Batista (a capitalistic but brutal leader the US supported) and creating a new government. Castro has broken up commercial farms into communes and has nationalized oil. American sugar planters and oil refineries are hurting. In addition, Castro is beginning to rely on Soviet aid, and like the Soviet Union, is repressing dissent. Eisenhower reacted to these developments by placing an embargo on Cuba. You are a member of the Executive Committee, known as ExCom, a recently formed group of Kennedy’s closest advisors gathered to help the new president work through the developing crisis in Cuba. How should Kennedy respond to these recent developments? What should his policy towards Cuba be?

How did Kennedy respond?

“Kennedy’s” Response

Finding Missiles (October 14, 1962)

Low-level photograph of 6 Frog (Luna) missile transporters under a tree at a military camp near Remedios, Cuba. These could reach the US in a matter of minutes.

Responding to Missiles• The flow of weapons from the Soviet Union to Cuba has been increasing, and a few days

ago (Oct. 14, 1962), photos taken by U-2 planes revealed that Cuba has nuclear missiles that could reach the US within minutes. The president has previously warned that if the Soviets ever introduced offensive weapons to Cuba, “the gravest issues would arise.” Kennedy is not just worried about the missiles, but is also worried about how his response to the missiles will affect his relations with Khrushchev and the possibility of Soviet invasion of West Berlin. The president has asked you (ExCom) to assess these five possible responses to the missiles in Cuba:

1. Ignore the missiles.2. Initiate a naval blockade of Cuba to prevent Soviet ships from bringing more

supplies to the island.3. Invade Cuba.4. Launch a conventional airstrike against missile sites5. Launch a nuclear attack against missile sites6. Send an emissary to discuss the matter with Khrushchev.

How dire is the situation? How would you prioritize these possible responses? What are the positive and negative aspects of each? Which response would you suggest the US takes?

What was Kennedy’s initial response?

Kennedy’s Initial Response

Possible Decisions During the Blockade

• As a member of ExCom, respond to the four situations the president might face, keeping in mind his ultimate goal of removing the missiles without military conflict. Offer your recommendations for what the president should do if each of these situations arises.

What should the president do if…

1. The Soviets fire on American naval vessels enforcing the blockade?2. The Soviets attempt to break the blockade?3. The Soviets wait it out for weeks or months until the crisis subsides?4. Cuban commanders launch one of the missiles already in Cuba toward the

United States?

When/if should the President inform the public of the crisis and blockade?

Kennedy’s Plan

Khrushchev's Letter to Kennedy (October 26)

• As a member of ExCom, you learn that Khrushchev has sent a letter and an unofficial emissary to inform President Kennedy of the Soviet Union’s willingness to withdraw its missiles from Cuba if the US ends its blockade, promises never to invade Cuba again, and withdraws its missiles from Turkey (an American ally in the Cold War). What should Kennedy do? Should he accept all of the demands, some of them, or none? Why?

Khrushchev's Letter to Kennedy

How did Kennedy respond?

Kennedy’s Response

After the Cuban Missile Crisis

Kennedy’s Foreign Policy• Committed to containing communism• Flexible response policy with increased defense spending on both

conventional and nuclear arms• Oversaw Bay of Pigs invasion• Resolved Cuban Missile Crisis, though criticized from both sides• Unable to stop building of Berlin Wall, but West Berlin remained under

US control• Tried to ease tensions with Soviet Union with hot line and Limited Test

Ban Treaty• Supported unpopular anti-communist leader of South Vietnam (Ngo Dinh

Diem) and sent 16,000 military advisors to Vietnam to train South Vietnamese troops, though later pledged to withdraw US forces

How would you rate Kennedy’s foreign policy?

Current US-Cuban Relations• It is 2014. The Cold War has been over for about 25 years, but Cuba is still

communist and Cubans’ rights are still very limited. Fidel Castro is still alive and his brother, Raul, is the autocratic leader of Cuba. Since the rise of communism in Cuba, the US has maintained an embargo, preventing American companies from doing business in Cuba and prohibiting Americans from travelling there and spending money there as tourists. The US and Cuba do not have diplomatic relations and the US recognizes Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism. Over the past several decades the US has accepted hundreds of thousands of anti-Castro refugees. Lately, the US has had strained relations with other Latin American nations because of its stance on Cuba. Many Americans are questioning the effectiveness of US policy towards Cuba too.

• What options are available for President Obama? What should he do? Why?

How did has President Obama changed US-Cuban relations?

How successful was Kennedy in containing communism?

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1. Very2. Somewhat3. Ineffective

How did Kennedy affect Cold War relations?

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1. Contributed to/expanded the conflict

2. Kept conflict at bay but didn’t really improve much

3. Eased tensions and improved US-Soviet relations

What do you see as the most important foreign policy goals in the early 1960s?

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1. Containing the spread of communism

2. Keeping the US out of war

3. Ending the arms race4. Sending humanitarian

aid to nations in need

Which foreign policy crisis/event did Kennedy handle the best?

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1. Bay of Pigs Invasion2. Cuban Missile Crisis3. Berlin Crisis4. Arms Race5. Vietnam

How would you judge Kennedy's handling of foreign affairs?

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1. Very strong2. Strong3. Sufficient4. Weak5. Harmful

Which New Frontier proposal was Kennedy able to achieve?

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1. Medical care for the elderly

2. Urban education reform

3. Legislation protecting civil rights

4. Increased minimum wage and extended unemployment benefits

How would you judge Kennedy's handling of domestic affairs?

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1. Very strong2. Strong3. Sufficient4. Weak5. Harmful

What was Kennedy’s greatest achievement as president?

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1. Creation of Peace Corps

2. Creation of Alliance for Progress

3. Creation of NASA’s Apollo program

4. Ending the Cuban Missile Crisis

5. Other