Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the historical context which determined the Cuban missile crisis. It discusses the actual development of events, the climax and the resolution of the situation. The paper also underlines, when possible, specific issues and their contribution to the diffusion of tension between the American political parties. Finally, the last part of the paper presents the importance of the crisis in the Cold War environment.

Table of Contents:
Historical Context
Development of Events
Climax
Resolution of the Crisis
Importance

From the Paper:

"The importance of the crisis has a series of different perspectives. On the one hand, it represented a test for the stability of the bipolar system. The fact that the two most important states in the world, having nuclear potential, managed to reach a non violent resolution of the crisis proved the stability of the system and the fact that, indeed, from the perspective of international relations theory, a bipolar system is the least vulnerable. (Nye, 2005) On the other, the event proved to be defining for reorienting the course of foreign policy during the Cold War. After the crisis, the Hot Line was established between the White House and Kremlin, to enable direct and unhindered communication between the two leaders of the world. Therefore, a certain awareness of the danger the world faced in 1962 led the political leaders to reconsider their intransigent position and be more open to cooperation in terms of international treaties and political talks. However, the changing of the leadership in Washington and the War in Vietnam slowed down the road to cooperation."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Calvocoressi, Peter. World politics since 1945. Budapest: Open Society Institute, 1996.
• Hobsbawm, Eric. The Age of extremes. New York: Vintage, 1996.
• Kennedy, Bruce. "The birth of the hot line. Nuclear fears forced superpowers to set up communications link". CNN Interactive. 2007. (22 October 2007), http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/10/spotlight/
• Kissinger, Henry. Diplomacy. London: Simon & Schuster, 1995
• Lebow, Richard Ned. The Cuban Missile Crisis. Module prepared for CIAO. August 2000. www.ciaonet.org

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