Cuban Missile Crisis - The Failed Checkmate - Extra History - Part 1

Summary

In April 1962, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, inspired by US missiles in Turkey, decides to secretly place nuclear missiles in Cuba, sparking the Cuban Missile Crisis. As the US discovers the missiles, President Kennedy faces the challenge of averting nuclear war through tense negotiations and strategic decisions. The crisis highlights the brinkmanship and the precarious balance of power during the Cold War era.

Takeaways

• 🌊 Nikita Khrushchev considered placing nuclear missiles in Cuba after seeing U.S. missiles stationed in Turkey.
• 🚀 Khrushchev's Soviet Union had unreliable long-range missiles but sought to use medium and intermediate-range missiles in Cuba to threaten the U.S.
• 🤔 Fidel Castro was initially skeptical about the placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba, fearing a U.S. first-strike and wanting to appear as an ally, not a puppet.
• 🛳️ Soviet missiles and troops were secretly transported to Cuba on commercial ships, with soldiers disguised as tourists or in civilian clothes.
• 🕵️ U.S. intelligence discovered the Soviet missile installations in Cuba through U-2 spy plane photos, leading to a crisis.
• 🔥 President Kennedy was furious at Khrushchev's perceived betrayal, as he had previously assured Kennedy that the buildup in Cuba would not include missiles.
• 💥 The U.S. considered three main responses: diplomacy, a naval blockade, and an airstrike with an optional invasion.
• 🔄 EXCOMM debated the effectiveness and risks of each response, with the blockade eventually seeming like the best option to leave room for negotiation.
• 🗣️ Kennedy's decision was influenced by the fear of Khrushchev's retaliation in Berlin if the U.S. attacked Cuba.
• 🛡️ The Soviet Union prepared for a possible U.S. invasion, with their missiles in Cuba becoming combat-ready.
• 📺 Kennedy's televised address and the U.S. blockade put pressure on Khrushchev, who had to consider his options for responding to the crisis.

Q & A

What event in 1962 brought the world closer to a nuclear conflict?

The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, where the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, threatened the United States and brought the world closer to a nuclear conflict.

Why did Nikita Khrushchev consider placing missiles in Cuba?

Khrushchev considered placing missiles in Cuba to counterbalance the U.S. missiles stationed in Turkey, which threatened Moscow, and to gain a strategic advantage in negotiations over Berlin.

What was the actual capability of the Soviet Union's intercontinental missiles at the time?

The Soviet Union's intercontinental missiles were super inaccurate and took hours to launch, making them a less credible deterrent against an American first-strike.

How did Khrushchev plan to deploy the missiles in Cuba?

Khrushchev planned to secretly deploy the missiles in Cuba, unveiling them only once they were operational, to avoid provoking a rash response from the U.S.

What was Fidel Castro's initial reaction to the proposal of deploying nuclear missiles in Cuba?

Castro was initially skeptical about deploying nuclear missiles in Cuba, fearing that it would be seen as a first-strike threat and that it would make Cuba appear as a Soviet puppet rather than an ally.

How did the U.S. discover the Soviet missile deployment in Cuba?

The U.S. discovered the Soviet missile deployment in Cuba through U-2 spy plane photographs, which revealed the presence of medium-range missiles.

What was the U.S. President Kennedy's initial reaction to the discovery of the missiles?

President Kennedy was furious at Khrushchev's perceived betrayal and felt compelled to act on his earlier pledge to take action if the Soviets stationed nuclear weapons in Cuba.

What were the three main options considered by the U.S. in response to the missile crisis?

The three main options considered by the U.S. were diplomacy, instituting a naval blockade, and an air strike with an optional invasion of Cuba.

What was the significance of the U.S. warships' movement towards a small island in the Caribbean?

The movement of U.S. warships towards a small island in the Caribbean was a military exercise, but it also symbolized the potential for real military action in response to the crisis.

What was the Soviet Union's stance on the use of their missiles in the event of an invasion of Cuba?

The Soviet Union initially considered allowing the use of their short-range tactical nuclear weapons in the event of an invasion of Cuba, but Khrushchev later decided to disallow the use of long-range missiles.

How did the situation escalate to the point where a nuclear war seemed imminent?

The situation escalated as the Soviet Union continued to build missile launch sites and the U.S. prepared for military action, including a naval blockade and potential airstrikes, increasing the risk of a nuclear war.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 The Origins of the Cuban Missile Crisis

In April 1962, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, inspired by the presence of U.S. missiles in Turkey, contemplates placing Soviet missiles in Cuba. This move would allow the Soviets to threaten the U.S. as NATO had threatened the Soviet Union. Despite the bluff of having powerful missiles, Khrushchev's intercontinental missiles were unreliable, leading to the covert plan of deploying medium and intermediate-range missiles in Cuba. The plan was to keep this deployment a secret until the missiles were operational, ensuring a strategic advantage. Khrushchev's proposal to Fidel Castro was met with skepticism, but Castro eventually agreed to help defend the 'world revolution,' allowing the Soviets to establish a 'Caribbean fortress.' The operation involved disguising military equipment and personnel as civilian cargo, leading to the arrival of missiles and troops in Cuba by September.

05:01

🛰️ The Discovery and Decision-Making

On October 16, 1962, President Kennedy and his advisors discovered through U-2 spy plane photos that the Soviets had placed medium-range missiles in Cuba, capable of reaching Washington D.C. within 13 minutes. Kennedy was faced with the reality of his earlier pledge to act against such a deployment. The discovery led to intense debates within the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM) about the best course of action. Options ranged from diplomacy, instituting a naval blockade, to an airstrike with a possible invasion. While the Joint Chiefs favored a direct military approach, Kennedy was concerned about the potential for war, especially with the Soviets' infrastructure in Cuba already in place. The EXCOMM discussions revealed a shift away from immediate military action towards a blockade, which allowed room for negotiation.

10:03

⚔️ The Tense Standoff and Ultimatum

As the crisis escalated, both sides prepared for potential conflict. The Soviets had their missiles combat-ready in Cuba, and the U.S. considered various military options, including an exercise that could have been mistaken for a real invasion. On October 20, Kennedy was faced with the decision of how to respond to the imminent threat, with the Joint Chiefs advocating for war and the blockade being seen as a sign of weakness. Khrushchev, in Moscow, received intelligence of unusual U.S. activity and prepared for Kennedy's communication. The ultimatum from Kennedy was not an invasion but a demand for the removal of the missiles, setting the stage for a tense night as 14 Soviet freighters, including one with extremely powerful nuclear warheads, approached the U.S. blockade.

Keywords

💡Nikita Khrushchev

Nikita Khrushchev was the Soviet Premier during the 1960s. He played a central role in the Cuban Missile Crisis, as depicted in the video script. Khrushchev is noted for his aggressive foreign policy and his decision to place nuclear missiles in Cuba, which escalated tensions with the United States. In the script, Khrushchev's contemplation of mirroring the U.S.'s actions in Turkey by placing missiles in Cuba illustrates his strategic thinking during the Cold War.

💡Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis refers to a 13-day confrontation in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over Soviet ballistic missiles deployed in Cuba. It is considered the closest the Cold War came to escalating into a full-scale nuclear war. The script describes the crisis as a pivotal moment when 'two great powers hurtled toward a global suicide pact,' highlighting the high stakes and the threat of nuclear conflict.

💡Sputnik

Sputnik was the first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957. It marked the beginning of the space age and contributed to the arms race between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. In the script, Sputnik's launch is mentioned as a precursor to Khrushchev's boasts about the Soviet Union's missile capabilities, which were part of the escalating tensions leading up to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

💡Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)

Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, or ICBMs, are long-range missiles capable of traveling thousands of miles to strike targets. In the script, it is revealed that Khrushchev's ICBMs were 'super inaccurate' and took hours to launch, making them less of a credible deterrent and part of the strategic deception during the Cold War.

💡Medium and Intermediate-Range Missiles

Medium and intermediate-range missiles are types of ballistic missiles with ranges shorter than ICBMs but still capable of reaching significant distances. In the video, Khrushchev's plan to station these missiles in Cuba is a key plot point, as it would allow the Soviet Union to threaten the United States directly, similar to how NATO had encircled the Soviet Union.

💡Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro was the leader of Cuba from the 1950s to the 2000s. In the script, Castro is depicted as skeptical of Khrushchev's proposal to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba, fearing it would be seen as an act of aggression by the United States. However, he eventually agrees to the plan, showing his alliance with the Soviet Union and his role in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

💡Sevastopol

Sevastopol is a port city on the Black Sea, historically significant for its naval base. In the script, Sevastopol is the departure point for a 'timber freighter' carrying medium-range rockets destined for Cuba, illustrating the covert nature of the Soviet Union's military operation during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

💡U-2 Spy Plane

The U-2 spy plane is a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft used by the United States for intelligence gathering. In the script, U-2 photos reveal the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba, leading to a critical moment of discovery and decision for President Kennedy and his advisers.

💡Oval Office

The Oval Office is the office of the President of the United States, located in the West Wing of the White House. In the script, it is the setting for President Kennedy and his advisers discussing the U-2 photos and the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba, which is a central event in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

💡National Security Council (NSC)

The National Security Council is an executive branch entity that advises the President on matters of national security and foreign policy. In the video, the NSC's Executive Committee, or EXCOMM, is formed to address the crisis, highlighting the high-level, secretive deliberations that took place during this critical period.

💡Naval Blockade

A naval blockade is a strategic action where a body of water is enclosed by ships to prevent vessels from entering or leaving. In the script, the blockade is one of the three plans considered by Kennedy's administration to address the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba, illustrating a key diplomatic and military strategy during the crisis.

Highlights

Nikita Khrushchev's contemplation of placing Soviet missiles in Cuba as a response to US missiles in Turkey.

Introduction of the Cold War series sponsored by DomiNations and the upcoming discussion on the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Khrushchev's bluff about the Soviet missile system's capabilities after the Sputnik launch in 1957.

The strategic rationale behind Khrushchev's plan to place missiles in Cuba to threaten the US and potentially negotiate for Berlin.

The secretive plan to deploy missiles in Cuba without alerting the US to avoid a rash response.

Fidel Castro's initial skepticism and eventual agreement to the Soviet missile deployment in Cuba.

The covert transportation of Soviet troops and equipment to Cuba disguised as tourists or in civilian clothes.

The discovery of Soviet medium-range missiles by US President Kennedy and his advisers through U-2 spy plane photos.

Kennedy's internal conflict between his public pledge and the reality of Khrushchev's secret assurances.

The formation of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM) to address the crisis.

The Joint Chiefs' unanimous position for an airstrike and invasion of Cuba, opposed by others fearing escalation to war.

The consideration of diplomatic solutions despite their low chance of success and the risk of appearing weak.

The debate within EXCOMM about the strategic implications of the Cuban missiles and the potential responses.

The realization that a blockade might be the most viable option to prevent war while leaving room for negotiation.

The ultimatum from Kennedy to Khrushchev communicated before a televised address, signaling a potential resolution.

The tension as Soviet freighters, including one with extremely powerful nuclear warheads, approach the American blockade.

Transcripts

April, 1962

Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev is walking near his villa on the Black Sea.

He looks across the water. On the far shore is Turkey,

where, months before, President Kennedy had stationed nuclear missiles.

Their warheads threaten Moscow.

And he wonders: "Why then can't we do the same in Cuba?"

And the world slips one minute closer to midnight.

Music (Birth of the People)

This Cold War series is brought to you by DomiNations.

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Remember when we did that Berlin Airlift episode?

Well the folks at DomiNations wanted to keep this Cold War party going,

so for the next few weeks,

we're gonna talk about the Cuban Missile Crisis.

A time when, for thirteen days,

two great powers hurtled toward a global suicide pact.

And it started with a bluff.

Following the launch of Sputnik in 1957,

Khrushchev had regularly bragged to foreign press about the Soviet missile system.

His rockets could hit a fly 8,000 miles away, he said.

And Moscow was cranking them out like sausages.

In reality though, his intercontinental missiles were super inaccurate

and took hours to launch.

In the event of a war

they'd probably be destroyed while fueling.

Meaning that they weren't much of a deterrent against an American first-strike.

These long-range missiles were little more than an empty threat,

but Khrushchev did have reliable medium and intermediate-range missiles

and if he could station those in Cuba

he could credibly threaten the United States,

in much the same way NATO had encircled and threatened the Soviet Union.

From that position of power he could probably negotiate for Berlin,

or demand that Kennedy withdraw his missiles from Turkey.

And, as a bonus, the US would never again dare to invade Cuba.

But deploying them openly was not an option.

Couldn't risk Kennedy doing something rash.

No, Khrushchev would have to sneak them in,

and only unveil them once they were operational.

It would be a checkmate,

provided the secret held.

On an undisclosed date in Havana,

Fidel Castro sits in his office.

The man across from him,

traveling undercover as an agricultural engineer,

is the head of Soviet rocket forces.

And he's just offered to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba.

Castro is skeptical.

If the Yankees discover a secret deployment,

they'll think that the missiles are intended for a first strike.

Besides, Cuba doesn't need nuclear weapons.

And he wants to look like a Soviet ally, not a puppet.

Wouldn't a defense treaty be better?

The Russian says: "No,

these weapons will counteract imperialist aggression,

protecting both nations."

Castro withdraws to confer

and then delivers his answer:

Cuba will help defend world revolution.

Khrushchev will have his Caribbean fortress.

On August 25th in Sevastopol,

a timber freighter pulls out of port,

riding high on the water.

Deep in its hold lie medium-range rockets.

So long that they have to be propped up against a bulkhead.

It's only one of 85 commercial ships

ferrying troops and equipment to Cuba.

The luckiest of these soldiers travel on cruise ships,

disguised as tourists,

but the majority are crammed into sweltering freighters.

By early September the missiles begin arriving

And they're not alone;

42,000 Soviet troops come ashore

dressed in civilian clothes or Cuban army uniforms.

They unload their cargoes by night:

helicopters, bombers, patrol boats, anti-aircraft guns, fighter jets,

and medium-range ballistic missiles.

The work begins.

On October 16th at 11:50 a.m. in the Oval Office,

President Kennedy and a handful of advisers sit at the briefing table,

looking at blown-up photos from a U-2 spy plane.

A CIA analyst lays it out.

These are medium-range missiles with a range of 1174 miles.

If one launches it can hit Washington in 13 minutes

Kennedy is furious at Khrushchev's betrayal.

The midterms are coming up

and his political rivals

have made the Soviet buildup in Cuba a campaign issue.

They accuse him of letting the Soviets install missile platforms

90 miles from Florida.

Privately, Khrushchev had told Kennedy

that the build-up was defensive

meant to avoid another American invasion

and that it wouldn't include missiles.

With this assurance in hand Kennedy had drawn a red line

pledging to take action if the soviet station's nuclear weapons in Cuba.

He had made that pledge thinking that he'd never have to go through with it.

"When will they be operational?", Kennedy asks.

The analyst replies: "Once the warheads are attached? Within hours."

The Defense Secretary cuts in:

"If there's gonna be an airstrike it must happen before the missiles are operational.

But there is evidence that the warheads aren't on site yet."

He thinks that Kennedy still has time to plan.

But the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs disagrees

"Most of the rocket infrastructure is already in place."

He thinks that the President should either

order an airstrike or maybe an airstrike followed by an invasion.

"We are certainly going to do option one", says Kennedy.

We're gonna take out those missiles.

They reconvene that night.

At 6:30 p.m. in the White House,

gathered around in the Cabinet Room our 14 men.

Nine from the National Security Council,

and five other key experts.

It's the first meeting of what will be known, as the

Executive Committee of the National Security Council.

Or EXCOMM.

Kennedy secretly turns on a tape recorder

preserving the meeting.

The Joint Chiefs state their unanimous position:

An air strike on the missile sites won't work.

Khrushchev could just send more missiles to replace the destroyed ones,

and Soviet bombers in Cuba could still hit Florida.

They recommend 800 sorties

destroying all Soviet power on the island,

followed by an invasion.

Kennedy's brother, Bobby, the Attorney General, loves this plan

because he hates Castro.

But the others point out that air strikes are never a hundred percent effective.

Some Russian missiles might survive it

and launch a counter strike.

And, of course, if Soviet soldiers are manning the missiles,

killing them in an airstrike could lead to war.

The Secretary of State asks whether doing nothing is an option?

After all those missiles don't really change the strategic balance.

Is getting nuked from Cuba of any different than getting nuked from Russia?

Kennedy agrees, it isn't.

But he had pledged to take action,

and if he reneges, Khrushchev might see it as weakness

and start sending missiles to hot spots everywhere.

So three plans are developed.

First: Diplomacy.

Low chance of success

but low risk of war, also.

Second: Instituting a naval blockade

to stop any more weapons from coming in

and calling for the missiles removal.

Publicly warn that any offensive move against the US

would lead to a nuclear strike on the Soviet Union.

Third: An air strike with an optional invasion.

EXCOMM goes back-and-forth

debating possible outcomes,

but Kennedy keeps coming back to Khrushchev's thinking.

Why would he do this?

It would be like the US putting missiles in Turkey.

"We did", points out the National Security Adviser.

On October 17th at 12:00 p.m. in the Caribbean,

40 US warships plunge toward a tiny island.

The Marines inside check their weapons.

Soon, they'll storm ashore and remove the island's dictator.

It's just an exercise. One that was scheduled before the crisis.

But in Washington, EXCOMM is still discussing whether they'll do this for real.

On October 19th at 9:45 a.m. in the White House

the new intelligence reports are ominous.

Fresh U2 photos show two medium-range missiles are now operational.

The Soviets are also building several launch sites

for intermediate range missiles that can hit almost all of the continental US.

Those missiles aren't ready yet,

but the decision window is closing.

In the last several days

discussions in EXCOMM have increasingly turned away from the air strike invasion option.

Even Bobby has come around on that one.

The blockade at least leaves room to negotiate.

But the Joint Chiefs still push for war.

Kennedy expresses his biggest concern:

If he attacks Cuba, Khrushchev will attack Berlin

and that'll leave only one alternative:

A nuclear strike.

The Air Force chief of staff pushes back.

If it came to it, they could wipe out the Soviets.

Besides a blockade will communicate weakness.

He compares it to Nazi appeasement,

which is a shot at Kennedy's father who once advocated negotiating with Hitler.

But Kennedy knows that winning a nuclear war might still mean millions of American deaths.

The general responds that the Air Force will be ready for an attack in two days if ordered.

"These brass hats have one advantage",

Kennedy says after the meeting,

"If we listen to them, none of us will be alive later to tell them they were wrong."

He needs to make a decision.

On October 20th at 9am in Cuba,

the 79th Missile Regiment gathers around a political officer.

He stands on a mound of dirt brought from the Soviet Union,

a reminder that these men are here to defend their homeland.

He makes an announcement.

Their eight medium-range missiles are combat ready.

"We may die martyrs", he says,

"but we won't abandon Cuba to the imperialists!"

His troops applaud.

On October 22nd at 10pm in the Kremlin,

Khrushchev has received intelligence reports

of unusual activity all over the US.

Congressmen are apparently boarding Air Force jets back to Washington.

Naval maneuvers are happening in the Caribbean.

And civilians are evacuating Guantanamo Bay.

Kennedy is scheduled to broadcast a television address at 2:00 a.m., Moscow time.

The US Embassy has told him to expect a communication an hour before.

Khrushchev calls a meeting of the Presidium, the highest Committee of the Communist Party.

"The missiles have been discovered," he says. "An invasion of Cuba is imminent."

He runs through his options, from announcing a mutual defense pact with Cuba over the radio to

transferring the missiles to Cuban control and letting them defend their own country.

"The best course," he says, "is to disallow Soviet troops from using the long-range missiles,

but permit them to use their short-range tactical nuclear weapons in the event of an invasion."

His Defense Minister, Malinovsky, cuts in.

"Putting that decision in the hands of commanders might accidentally precipitate a conflict."

He suggests waiting for Kennedy's message.

It arrives an hour before Kennedy's broadcast.

Not an invasion, but an ultimatum.

There will be no war tonight,

but also no sleep.

Because there are 14 Soviet freighters inbound for Cuba right now.

One carries nuclear warheads three times more powerful than all the bombs ever dropped in history.

And it is heading toward an American blockade.

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Music (Extra History Theme)