The Cuban Missile Crisis

Paper Summary:

This paper asserts that many people today simply do not realize just how close the world came to nuclear war when John F. Kennedy and Nikita S. Khrushchev squared off for 13 tense days during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. The paper claims that given the highly secretive nature of the Soviet regimen during this period in history, it is unlikely that many average citizens were aware of what was taking place during this fateful 13-day period in history. Despite these constraints, much has been learned since 1962 about what took place behind closed doors in Moscow and Washington and this paper investigates this information to determine what part Nikita S. Khrushchev played in negotiating the compromise and the response of the Soviet leadership of the day. A summary of the research is provided in the conclusion.

Outline
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
The Role of Nikita S. Khrushchev
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Today, the Cuban Missile Crisis is generally remembered as lasting for just thirteen days (from October 16-28), beginning with the point at which Washington discovered that active construction was taking place in Cuba to install launch facilities for Soviet medium-range missiles, to the day the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Khrushchev, publicly and formally agreed to withdraw missiles from Cuba. As part of the eventual compromise that was reached, President Kennedy guaranteed that the United States would not invade Cuba. More comprehensive accounts of the missile crisis extend beyond these immediate 13 days to include the period from October 28 to November 20 as well, when intensive negotiations were conducted that more fully set forth and codified the agreements had been reached, the period when the U.S. naval blockade was lifted, and the special alert status of the military forces of both countries had ended."

More papers on The Cuban Missile Crisis:

• Analytical Essay # 3911 : "Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis"
• Term Paper # 131747 : "American Intelligence and the Cuban Missile Crisis"
• Analytical Essay # 74125 : "President Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis"
• Analytical Essay # 134074 : "The Cuban Missile Crisis: An Analysis"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: