Cuban+Missle+Crisis+NS

Nathan Strack
====== __**1. Information**__ In October, 1962, during the Cold War, an American spy plane making a routine surveillance pass over Cuba saw nuclear missiles being transported (Image 2). This sparked the **//Cuban Missile Crisis//**, a time that is considered to be the closest the United States and the Soviet Union ever came to nuclear war.

The Soviet Union had placed nuclear missile bases on its communist ally, Cuba. "The the purpose of these bases [could] be none other than to provide a nuclear strike capability against the Western Hemisphere" - There were several medium range missile lunch sites, which could hit Washington DC, the Panama Canal, Cape Canaveral, Mexico City, or any other city in the southeastern part of the United States, in Central America, or in the Caribbean area. (See Image 3) There were some uncompleted bases that could launch intermediate-range missiles that could travel more than twice as far, so they could hit anywhere from Hudson Bay, Canada to Lima, Peru. In addition, air bases and jet bombers, which could carry nuclear weapons, were being assembled and armed.

JFK's advisers came up with 5 ways to deal with the "Soviet missile build-up."
 * 1) Do nothing

2. Diplomatically ppressure Russia to remove the missiles
 * 1) 3. Immediate air strike on missile bases
 * 2) 4. Full military invasion
 * 3) 5. Naval Blockade on all shipments to Cuba

The Joint Chiefs of Staff wanted to do number 4, but Kennedy chose to do number 5. Then they began diplomatically negotiating the removal of the missiles with Russia. Russia said they would remove the missiles if (1) the US promised not to invade Cuba, and (2) would publicly dismantle thier bases in Turkey, an Ally that bordered Russia.

Russia complied, and the Crisis ended on October 28, 1962

__**2. Essential Questio**____**ns**__

//What happened during the CMC?// It was discovered by American spy planes in October, 1962
 * Russia put missile bases on its ally, Cuba
 * The US negotiated the safe removal of the missiles

//Who were the big players?//
 * United States
 * Russia
 * Cuba

//How did JFK's cabinet advise him on this?//
 * 1) Do nothing
 * 2) Diplomatically pressure Russia to remove the missiles
 * 3) Immediate air strike on missile bases
 * 4) Full military invasion
 * 5) Naval Blockade on all shipments to Cuba

//How was it resolved?// We negotiated the removal of the missiles in exchange for the promise not to invade Cuba.

//What could have been the result?// Nuclear war with the Soviet Union

__**3. Bibliography**__ “Cuban Missile Crisis.” //Wikipedia//. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 11 Nov. 2009. Web. 29 Oct. 2009. .

James, Nathan. “Cuban Missile Crisis.”// World Book Student//. World Book, 2009, n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2009. .

//Kennedy, John Fitzgerald. Address on the Buildup of Arms in Cuba. White House. 22 Oct. 1962.// Wikisources//. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. .

Kennedy, John Fitzgerald. Address on the Buildup of Arms in Cuba. White House. 22 Oct. 1962. //Wikipedia//. Web. 4 Nov. 2009. .//

Wilentz, Sean. “Kennedy, John Fitzgerald.” //World Book Student//. World Book, 2009, n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2009. .