Development & Impact of the Cold War:
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis
"It was a perfectly beautiful night, as fall nights are in Washington. I walked out of the president's Oval Office, and as I walked out, I thought I might never live to see another Saturday night."
Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, recalling the Cuban Missile Crisis
Background
In 1960s, leaders of the U.S. and the Soviet Union engaged in a tense, 13-day political and military standoff in October 1962 over the installation of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles on Cuba. President John F. Kennedy, in a TV address on October 22, 1962, notified Americans about the presence of the missiles, explained his decision to enact a naval blockade around Cuba and made it clear the U.S. was prepared to use military force if necessary to neutralize this perceived threat to national security. Following this news, many people feared the world was on the brink of war, nuclear war.
The Cuban Missile Crisis was the closest the world ever came to nuclear war. The United States armed forces were at their highest state of readiness ever and Soviet field commanders in Cuba were prepared to use battlefield nuclear weapons to defend the island if it was invaded. Each side was fully prepared to retaliate, knowing fully that would result in total annihilation of both sides. This notion is more commonly known as MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction).
The Cuban Missile Crisis was the closest the world ever came to nuclear war. The United States armed forces were at their highest state of readiness ever and Soviet field commanders in Cuba were prepared to use battlefield nuclear weapons to defend the island if it was invaded. Each side was fully prepared to retaliate, knowing fully that would result in total annihilation of both sides. This notion is more commonly known as MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction).
Task 1a: The Causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis - Chronology
Instructions:
Instructions:
- Read the following sources: Chapter 9 "History - 20th Century World: The Cold War (purple text)", pages 347 to 352 of the text "Modern World History (blue text)", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 1.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 2.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 3.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis.pdf", "The Cuba Crisis.pdf" and "The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).pdf".
- Complete the following table by identifying the actions (from 1958) of Castro, USA and Soviet Union that help led to the October Crisis in 1962.
- When completing the table, makes sure you add the year (and months if possible) to ensure that you can follow the causes chronologically to how it led to the crisis.
- Highlight YELLOW (see example below) to indicate the actions taken by Castro that made the USA think he was a Communist.
- Highlight BLUE to indicate the actions taken by the USA to help push Castro into a relationship with the Soviet Union.
In early October (14th), a U2 reconnaissance flight over Cuba spots sites installing nuclear missiles. By the next day (October 15th), presence of missiles is confirmed. By October 16-22th, President Kennedy is notified, EXCOMM is created and secret deliberations on what should be done begins.
Task 2a: The October Crisis (1962)
Instructions:
Instructions:
- Read the following sources: Chapter 9 "History - 20th Century World: The Cold War (purple text)", pages 347 to 352 of the text "Modern World History (blue text)", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 1.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 2.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 3.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis.pdf", "The Cuba Crisis.pdf" and "The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).pdf".
- Read the scanned page 349 from the text “Modern World History (blue text)” highlighting the options of President John F. Kennedy.
- Complete the following table titled “What Should the President Do?”
- Rate each option from 1 to 5 (1 being the best) and provide an explanation for each of your ratings using you background knowledge and the sources provided.
- Select two options, which you think are the best options for the President to follow and provide an explanation for your choice using you background knowledge and the sources provided.
- For each of the three options you did not choose, provide an explanation for your choice using you background knowledge and the sources provided.
Task 2b: The October Crisis (1962)
Instructions:
Instructions:
- Read the following sources: Chapter 9 "History - 20th Century World: The Cold War (purple text)", pages 347 to 352 of the text "Modern World History (blue text)", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 1.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 2.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 3.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis.pdf", "The Cuba Crisis.pdf" and "The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).pdf".
- Complete the following table below.
The Cuban Missile crisis comes to an end when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agrees to remove Russian missiles from Cuba in exchange for a promise from the United States to respect Cuba's territorial sovereignty. This ended nearly two weeks of anxiety and tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union that came close to provoking a nuclear conflict.
Task 3: The Effects of the Cuban Missile Crisis
Instructions:
Instructions:
- Read the following sources: Chapter 9 "History - 20th Century World: The Cold War (purple text)", pages 347 to 352 of the text "Modern World History (blue text)", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 1.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 2.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis 3.jpg", "The Cuban Missile Crisis.pdf", "The Cuba Crisis.pdf" and "The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).pdf".
- Complete the following table below.
- Identify the actions by both the Soviet Union and USA that helped end the Cuban Missile Crisis.
- Identify how the Cuban Missile Crisis affected the following areas: 1) The Soviet Union, 2) The USA and 3) The development of the Cold War.
Mark Scheme
Exam Questions
Paper 2: Topic 5 - The Cold War
May Exams
November Exams
Paper 3 Questions
Paper 2: Topic 5 - The Cold War
May Exams
- Analyse the part played by Cuba in the development of the Cold War. (May 2005 & 2007)
- In what ways, and with what results, did the United States’ Cold War policy of containment affect Cuba after 1959? (May 2006)
- Compare and contrast the roles of Korea and Vietnam in the Cold War. (May 2008)
- Explain the meaning of two of the following and show how each affected the development of the Cold War: containment; brinkmanship; non-alignment; détente. (May 2008)
- Define and analyse the importance of two of the following: (a) the formation of NATO (b) the Warsaw Pact (c) non-alignment (d) détente. (TZ1 May 2009)
- Compare and contrast the role of two leaders, each chosen from a different region, in the development of the Cold War between 1953 and 1964. (TZ1 May 2010)
- Compare and contrast the significance of leaders in two Cold War conflicts, each chosen from a different region, between 1950 and 1963. (TZ2 May 2010)
- “The events in Cuba during 1962 were the most evident display of brinkmanship.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? (TZ1 May 2011)
- “Brinkmanship was an effective deterrent to escalation.” With reference to two examples, assess the validity of this statement. (TZ2 May 2011)
- In what ways, and with what significance, did either Kennedy or Reagan influence the development of the Cold War? (TZ1 May 2012)
November Exams
- How effective was the United States policy of containment up to 1962? (Nov 2007)
- For what reasons, and with what results, did the Soviet Union become involved with Cuba after 1959? (Nov 2008)
- In what ways, and with what success, did the US and the USSR attempt to reduce Cold War tensions between 1956 and 1979? (Nov 2011)
- Compare and contrast the impact of two of the following leaders on the Cold War: Mao; Castro; Kennedy. (Nov 2011)
Paper 3 Questions
- “The history of European cooperation between 1957 and 1975 was harmonious and successful.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? (Nov 2006)