Cuban missile crisis

• What military supplies did Khrushchev send to Cuba in 1962?

  Ballistic missiles
• Why did Khrushchev claim the weapons sent to Cuba were defensive?

  He stated they were to defend Cuba, unlike US missiles in Turkey
• What significant event occurred on 14 October 1962?

  A U2 spy plane photographed missile bases in Cuba
• Why were the Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBM) a threat to the USA?


  They could hit almost all US cities
• How long did the Cuban Missile Crisis last from Kennedy's first sighting of the photographs to the dismantling of the missiles?

  13 days
• Who did President Kennedy set up to advise him on the missile crisis?

  A committee of 12 advisers
• What options were discussed by Kennedy's advisers regarding the situation in Cuba?

  Bomb Cuba, invade Cuba, air-strike, blockade, or do nothing
• What military action did Kennedy decide to take during the crisis?

  To place a naval blockade around Cuba
• How long was the blockade around Cuba?

  3,300 kilometers
• What preparations were made by the US military during the crisis?

  Polaris submarines were made ready, ICBMs were prepared, and soldiers were placed on alert
• What did President Kennedy do on 22 October regarding the blockade?

  He addressed the people of the USA in a television broadcast
• What did Kennedy inform Khrushchev during his television address?

  That the Soviet convoy approaching Cuba would be stopped
• What happened to the eighteen Soviet ships approaching Cuba during the crisis?

  They turned around to avoid confrontation with the US blockade
• What demand did Kennedy make regarding the missiles in Cuba?

  He demanded the removal of all missiles
• What was Khrushchev's initial response to Kennedy's demand?

  He offered to remove the missiles if the blockade was lifted
• What was the content of Khrushchev's tougher letter to Kennedy?

  He promised to remove the missiles if the USA removed its missiles from Turkey
• What significant event occurred on 27 October during the crisis?

  A U2 spy plane was shot down over Cuba by a Soviet missile
• What decision did President Kennedy make regarding Khrushchev's second letter?

  He decided to ignore it and accepted the terms of the first letter
• What ultimatum did Kennedy give regarding the Soviet response by 29 October?


  US forces would invade Cuba if there was no positive response
• What was Khrushchev's final acceptance regarding the missiles?

  He accepted the offer to remove the missiles in exchange for the US removing missiles from Turkey later
• How did the Cuban Missile Crisis affect US-Soviet relations initially?

  It intensified rivalry and tension between the two superpowers
• How did the perception of Kennedy change after the crisis?

  Many saw him as a great statesman who stood up to communists
• What was the public perception of Khrushchev after the crisis?

  He was seen as having backed down
• What did Khrushchev believe he achieved through the crisis?

  He saved Cuba from invasion and knew the missiles in Turkey would be removed
• What was the impact of the crisis on Khrushchev's leadership in the Soviet Union?

  It contributed to his removal as leader in 1964
• What communication link was established after the crisis to prevent future misunderstandings?

  A hotline telephone link between the White House and the Kremlin
• What treaty was signed in August 1963 to limit nuclear testing?

  The Limited Test Ban Treaty
• What was the purpose of the Outer Space Treaty signed in 1968?

  To use outer space for peaceful purposes and not place nuclear weapons in orbit
• What was the goal of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty signed in 1968?

  To stop the spread of nuclear weapons
• How did the arms race influence the superpowers' approach to nuclear weapons?

  It pushed them to consider limitations to their arsenals
• What significant event occurred in 1963 regarding US-Soviet relations?

  The USA sold grain to the Soviet Union following poor harvests
• What criticism did Kennedy face regarding his actions during the crisis?

  He acted on his own with little consultation with other countries
• What action did France take in 1966 regarding NATO?


  France withdrew from the military side of NATO