The Cuban Missile Crisis

Paper Summary:

The paper explains that, considering the information now available, it seems unlikely the Soviets would have attacked the United States over the Cuban missile crisis. The author states that it actually appears the United States was the aggressor: The missiles were placed in Cuba by the Soviet Union as deterrents in response to a real threat from the United States because the United States had been planning on attacking Cuba for years, going back to the Eisenhower administration. The paper concludes that the weapons did ensure a peace because (1) the United States government agreed not to invade Cuba if the Soviet Union agreed to remove the missiles from Cuban soil, which they did, and (2) the United States agreed to remove missiles from Turkey. Several long quotes.

From the Paper:

"The Cuban Missile Crisis is one of the defining moments in twentieth century United States history. The Cold War was at its apex. The Cubans asked the Soviet Union to protect them against an American attack. In 1961, the United States sent troops into Cuba in an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro. The attack failed and later became known as the Bay of Pigs fiasco. In 1962, Kruschev sent missiles into Cuba in order to deter an American attack. We were at the brink of World War III, both sides used verbal threats, and War was only averted when the Soviet Union removed the missiles in return for an American promise to not invade the island."

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"

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