Thirteen Days: the Cuban Missile Crisis
For thirteen days, the United States held its breath, fearing the ultimate destruction of the nation by nuclear weapons. This was the Cuban missile crisis, a struggle fought between the world's two largest superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, which nearly provoked a nuclear catastrophe on both sides from October 16, to October
28, in 1962. This crisis had been brewing for many years and was sparked by previous issues between the two nations. The United States had been at odds with Communist ideals for many years beginning with the onset of the Cold War. The direct stimulant for the Cuban missile crisis, however, was due to the emergence of the Communist led regime of Cuba, by Fidel Castro. Wanting to prevent Castro from gaining too much power,
President Kennedy, aided by the CIA, attempted to take control of Cuba. This failure, known as the Bay of Pigs, only secured Castro's as well as Cuba's power. For fear of further attacks, the Soviet Union provided protection by way of nuclear weapons, for
Cuba. This was the premises for the Cuban missile crisis during 1962. The United States reached near destruction due to President Kennedy's persistent refusal to tolerate
Communism, and therefore, he can not be lauded for his success in ending the crisis which he himself started. Cuba had been a large assent for the United States throughout the 1950s, prior to
President Eisenhower severing diplomatic relations with Cuba in the 1960s.1 After Fidel
Castro and his Revolutionaries took control of Cuba, they began to gain mass popularity and power which upset Government officials in the United States. Eisenhower developed a plan which the Kennedy Administration later followed through on, to overthrow Castro and his Communist Regime. In 1961 "the CIA drafted the invasion plan, which was based on the assumption that a U.S.-led invasion would trigger a popular uprising of the Cuban people and bring down Castro."2 Kennedy, a new
28, in 1962. This crisis had been brewing for many years and was sparked by previous issues between the two nations. The United States had been at odds with Communist ideals for many years beginning with the onset of the Cold War. The direct stimulant for the Cuban missile crisis, however, was due to the emergence of the Communist led regime of Cuba, by Fidel Castro. Wanting to prevent Castro from gaining too much power,
President Kennedy, aided by the CIA, attempted to take control of Cuba. This failure, known as the Bay of Pigs, only secured Castro's as well as Cuba's power. For fear of further attacks, the Soviet Union provided protection by way of nuclear weapons, for
Cuba. This was the premises for the Cuban missile crisis during 1962. The United States reached near destruction due to President Kennedy's persistent refusal to tolerate
Communism, and therefore, he can not be lauded for his success in ending the crisis which he himself started. Cuba had been a large assent for the United States throughout the 1950s, prior to
President Eisenhower severing diplomatic relations with Cuba in the 1960s.1 After Fidel
Castro and his Revolutionaries took control of Cuba, they began to gain mass popularity and power which upset Government officials in the United States. Eisenhower developed a plan which the Kennedy Administration later followed through on, to overthrow Castro and his Communist Regime. In 1961 "the CIA drafted the invasion plan, which was based on the assumption that a U.S.-led invasion would trigger a popular uprising of the Cuban people and bring down Castro."2 Kennedy, a new