13 Days In October 1962

13 Days in October 1962

The Cuban Missile Crisis

Why Cuba?

Cuba

Che Guevara

Fidel Castro

The communist Leaders of Cuba

Briefing You are Chief Political advisor to President Kennedy of the

USA. Your job is to help your President make the right choice for

the good of the country and to get him re-elected at the next elections by keeping him popular with the American people.

During the decision making activity you are about to begin there are two things that must be remembered:

1. You cannot let the Russians think that you are weak2. You cannot give to many concessions (give up too much)

to the Russians unless absolutely necessary.

Instructions On the timeline sheet write down the decision you make at

each step. This is very important and you cannot progress to the next stage until you have done so. At each stage after your decision you will be told what really happened and given the next decision to make. If at any stage you find you did not write down the correct decision please note down what the correct decision was on your sheet.

1.October 10th The CIA suggests that there are medium range ballistic

missiles already on Cuba. They have a range of 1000 miles.

On your map join up the lines at the 1000 mile limit of the MRBMS.

Write down the cities that are under threat.

Decision You are not convinced the CIA is correct about the

bombs. What will you do?1. Attack Cuba and destroy the bases including any missiles

already there.2. Do nothing and wait and see what else happens thus

keeping things quiet.3. Order a U2 spy plane flight over Cuba to gather evidence.

2. October 14th Bad weather delayed the U2 flight but new

photographs show that there are missiles on Cuba. You are not sure what they are and you have not photographed all the island

Decision1. Attack Cuba and destroy the bases including any

missiles already there.2. Do nothing and wait and see what else happens thus

keeping things quiet.3. Order a U2 spy plane flight over Cuba to gather

evidence.

3. October 16th

No new photos are available yet but you feel the president should be told. You tell the president and he invites you to join ex comm. Ex-comm are top military and diplomatic staff to discuss what to do.

4. October 17th

President Kennedy's brother, bobby and adviser Sorensen keep up to date with you about events. When the president returns to Washington he has to decide.


missiles already there. (Argued by the air force)2. Do nothing and wait and see what else happens thus

keeping things quiet.3. Ask the president to talk with the Russian foreign

secretary, gromyko, in Washington.

5. October 18th

Gromyko and President Kennedy talk for 2 hours. Gromyko says that aid from Russia to Cuba is for defensive reasons and nothing that can be used for an attack against the USA is there.

Decision1. Do you accept this and do nothing2. Attack Cuba and destroy the bases including any

missiles already there. (Argued by the air force)

6. October 20th You learn that nuclear missiles are onboard ships to

Cuba from the USSR and are only a few days away from Cuba.

Kennedy cancels all public engagements and meetings possible to devote time to the crisis.

The newspapers will wonder why?

Decision1. Should the president go public and possibly panic the

American people?2. Attack Cuba and destroy the bases including any


keeping things quiet.

7. October 21st The president decides to tell the nation on October

22nd. He asks the press and media to keep quiet until the next day.

Ships carrying offensive bombs are closing on Cuba. You learn that longer range ballistic missiles are on

Cuba with a range of 2500 miles. Join the lines up showing the 2500 mile range on your map.



keeping things quiet.3. Put a quarantine ring of us warships around Cuba and

prevent the missiles being delivered to the Cubans.

8. October 22nd

The president tells congress (the politicians) and the people.

The USA prepares for war by going to defcon 3 US marines reinforce the US base on Cuba called

Guantanamo bay.

9. October 23rd

US ships take up position off Cuba Robert Kennedy (brother) meets with Russian

ambassador Dobrynin and expresses his worry Kennedy receives a fax letter from Kruschev of the

USSR saying that this situation is a threat to the people of the world


missiles already there. 2. Do nothing and wait and see what else happens 3. Pull back warships to avoid a confrontation with the

Russian ships for another day.

10. October 24th

USSR ships slow down or turn around except one which keeps steaming towards the US warships.


missiles already there.2. Stop the Russian ship. Attack the Russian ship if it

refuses to stop.3. Withdraw missiles from turkey which is as close to

Russia as Cuba is to the USA in return for the withdrawal of Russian missiles

11. October 26th The Russian ship is stopped and searched and then

allowed through the blockade because it does not have weapons.

Russia still has weapons on Cuba and could be getting ready to use them fearing an attack on Cuba by the USA.

Kruschev writes a letter by fax proposing he remove the missiles if the USA promises never to attack Cuba.

Decision1. Agree to Kruschev’s proposals2. Attack Cuba and destroy the bases including any

missiles already there.3. Promise not to invade Cuba and allow the United Nations

in to dismantle the nuclear sites on Cuba4. Trade Turkey’s missiles for Cuba's.

12. October 27th

Another letter arrives by fax asking to trade Turkey’s missiles for Cuba’s.

An American U2 plane is shot down over Cuba killing the pilot.


missiles already there. 2. Promise not to invade Cuba and allow the United

Nations in to dismantle the nuclear sites on Cuba.3. Reply to Kruschev’s first letter and promise to not attack

Cuba for the removal of Russian Missiles.4. Reply to Kruschev’s second letter and trade Turkey’s

missiles for Cuba’s.

13. October 28th

Kruschev announces over radio Moscow that he agrees to remove the missiles from Cuba.

War is averted at the last minute…

1000 Miles

2500 miles

Education

13 Days In October 1962