The Cuban Missile Crisis

What event marked the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis on October 14th, 1962?

An American U-2 spy plane flew over Cuba and took photographs of Soviet missile sites, confirming nuclear missiles were being built by the USSR.

What did the American U-2 spy planes report in addition to the missile sites on Cuba?

They reported that more than 20 Soviet ships were on their way to Cuba, carrying missiles.

What were the options Kennedy's advisors presented in response to the crisis?

1. Call in airstrikes and destroy the missile bases.

2. Invade Cuba.

3. Get the UN to intervene and apply diplomatic pressure.

4. Blockade Cuba with warships.

5. Do nothing.

What was Khrushchev’s response to the US blockade of Cuba?

Khrushchev claimed there were no missiles on Cuba and warned that Soviet ships would ignore the blockade. He also stated that firing on US ships would result in war.

What did Khrushchev propose in his first letter to Kennedy on October 26th?

Khrushchev promised to remove the missiles from Cuba if the US promised not to invade Cuba and lifted the blockade.

What additional demand did Khrushchev make in his second letter?

He demanded that the US remove its nuclear missiles from Turkey.

What significant event occurred on the same day Khrushchev sent his second letter?

A U-2 spy plane was shot down over Cuba.

What was established between the USA and USSR to help avoid another crisis after the Cuban Missile Crisis?

A hotline was set up between the White House and the Kremlin to allow direct communication between the leaders of the USA and USSR.

What was Khrushchev’s fate after the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Khrushchev was humiliated as he was seen to have backed down by removing missiles from Cuba. He was removed as the leader of the USSR in 1964.

What period followed the Cuban Missile Crisis due to improved US-Soviet relations?

The joint fear of nuclear war led to better relations between the USA and the Soviet Union, starting a period known as Détente.