Killer Submarines Sneaking Through the Blockade | The Cuban Missile Crisis | Day 09

Summary

On October 24, 1962, the U.S. implemented a naval blockade on Cuba amidst escalating tensions during the Cuban Missile Crisis. While Soviet ships turned back, four nuclear-armed submarines remained in the area, increasing the stakes. President Kennedy's administration debated military responses to potential Soviet violations, while a low-altitude reconnaissance mission provided crucial photographic evidence of missile readiness. Despite efforts to manage the situation, the blockade failed to resolve the crisis, pushing the U.S. to DEFCON 2, just one step away from nuclear war. The conflict highlighted the precarious balance of power and the ever-present threat of global annihilation.

Takeaways

• 😀 The US military felt blindsided by the Cuban Missile Crisis, similar to a game of Battleship where the opponent removes their ships without warning.
• 😀 On October 24, 1962, the US naval blockade of Cuba officially went into effect amid rising tensions.
• 😀 Soviet leaders decided not to confront the US openly while maintaining their nuclear missiles in Cuba.
• 😀 President Kennedy faced political pressure for his delayed response to the missile situation, with doubts raised about the effectiveness of the blockade.
• 😀 The US was concerned about how to handle Soviet submarines potentially breaching the blockade and proposed using practice depth charges as warning signals.
• 😀 Tensions escalated as news emerged that Soviet ships turned around, though this was based on outdated information from the previous day.
• 😀 General Curtis LeMay, a key military leader, opposed the blockade and favored a more aggressive military stance.
• 😀 Soviet Premier Khrushchev sent a letter to Kennedy, rejecting US actions and threatening retaliation for perceived aggression.
• 😀 US reconnaissance efforts ramped up, including low-altitude flights that successfully captured clear images of the missile sites in Cuba.
• 😀 The US elevated its military readiness to DEFCON 2, indicating an increased risk of nuclear conflict as the crisis continued.

Q & A

What was the main action taken by the US on October 24, 1962?

The US implemented a naval blockade around Cuba to prevent Soviet ships from delivering military supplies.

How did the Soviet leadership respond to the US blockade?

The Soviet top brass decided not to provoke the US by sailing through the blockade but maintained their nuclear missiles on Cuba.

What were the concerns of President Kennedy and EXCOMM regarding the blockade?

They worried about political fallout for acting late and debated how to manage Soviet submarines potentially breaching the blockade.

What was the proposed method to signal submarines during the blockade?

They planned to use practice depth charges as warning signals, asking unidentified submarines to surface for inspection.

Why was the communication from the US Navy to EXCOMM considered inadequate?

The Navy and Air Force observed the Russian ships were turning back but failed to report this to EXCOMM, possibly due to differing views on the blockade.

What significant event did General Curtis LeMay's actions reflect?

LeMay's disdain for the blockade and his aggressive military stance highlighted the internal conflicts within US military leadership.

What did Khrushchev’s letter to Kennedy indicate about the Soviet stance?

Khrushchev's letter criticized the US actions as imperialistic and warned that the Soviet government would not comply with the blockade.

What was the purpose of the low altitude reconnaissance flights over Cuba?

These flights aimed to capture clearer photographic evidence of the missile sites, which had been difficult to analyze from higher altitudes.

How did the pilots of the reconnaissance flights feel during their mission?

The pilots experienced significant stress and danger, as they flew low and fast over heavily defended areas, narrowly avoiding anti-aircraft fire.

What was the outcome of the intelligence gathered from the low altitude flights?

The photographs confirmed the presence of operational Soviet missiles in Cuba, prompting heightened tensions and a DEFCON 2 alert in the US.