Cuban Missiles Crisis, 1962

Cuba becomes involved in the cold war in 1959 when Fidel Castro took power from corrupt, American backed dictator Batista. As Cuba’s relations with USA worsened, those with USSR improved. In January 1961 the USA broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba, and Russians increased their economic aid.

Cuba was now considered as a communist’s state. The new US President, John F.Kennedy,approved a plan by a group of Batista supporters to invade Cuba from American bases in Guatemala(central America).The CIA was deeply involved in it. The small invading force of about 1400 men landed at the Bay of Pigs in April 1961,but the operation was so badly planned that Castro’s forces and his two jets had no difficulty crushing it. Later the same year, Castro announced Cuba as socialist country. Kennedy continued his campaign to destroy Castro. So Castro appealed to the USSR for military help.

Khrushchev decided to set up nuclear missile launchers in Cuba aimed at the USA.Whose nearest point was less than a hindered miles from Cuba. He intended to install missiles with a range which can hit the major cities of USA such as New York,Boston,Washington and Chicago. The tension increased in October 1962,when USA spy planes showed the them the photographs taken of missile base under construction.

Kennedy’s military adviser urged him to launch air strikes against the bases, but he alerted American troops, began a blockade of Cuba to keep out the Russians ships which were bringing missiles to Cuba, and demanded the dismantling of the missiles sites and the removal of those missiles already in Cuba. The situation was very tense and there was a great chance of nuclear war between the two super powers.

Khrushchev made the first move. He ordered the Russian ships to turn back, and eventually a compromise solution was reached. Khrushchev promised to remove the missiles and dismantle the sites, in return Kennedy promised that USA will not attack Cuba again and undertook to disarm the Jupiter missiles in Turkey.

The crisis had only lasted a few days, but it was extremely tense and it had important results. Both sides realized how easily a nuclear war could have started and how terrible the result would have been.