Explain the causes, events and consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962

What this dot point is asking

SEAB wants you to explain the causes, events and consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, the moment the Cold War came closest to nuclear war. You should be able to explain why the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, describe the thirteen days of crisis and how war was avoided, and explain the consequences for the Cold War. The task is explanation: link the situation in Cuba and the arms race to the crisis, and the resolution of the crisis to its longer-term effects on superpower relations.

The answer

The background: communist Cuba

Cuba is an island close to the United States. In 1959 a revolution led by Fidel Castro brought a communist government to power there, right on America's doorstep. This alarmed the United States, which was used to having friendly governments nearby. American hostility pushed Castro closer to the Soviet Union for support and protection. In 1961 the United States backed an attempt by Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro (the Bay of Pigs invasion), which failed badly but convinced Castro and the Soviet Union that America might try again. This set the scene for the crisis.

Why the Soviet Union placed missiles in Cuba

In 1962 the Soviet Union secretly began building sites in Cuba for nuclear missiles that could reach much of the United States. There were several reasons. First, the missiles would help defend communist Cuba from another American invasion. Second, they would help balance the nuclear arms race: the United States had nuclear missiles based close to the Soviet Union, including in Turkey, so placing Soviet missiles close to America would even things up. Third, the Soviet leader Khrushchev may have wanted to test the young American President Kennedy and to score a Cold War advantage. Whatever the mix of motives, the missiles posed a direct threat to the United States.

The thirteen days, October 1962

The crisis began when American spy planes photographed the missile sites being built in Cuba. President Kennedy and his advisers faced a terrifying choice: how to get the missiles removed without starting a nuclear war. After intense discussions, Kennedy decided against an immediate attack and instead ordered a naval "quarantine" (blockade) of Cuba, to stop Soviet ships bringing more missiles, and publicly demanded that the existing missiles be removed. For several days the world held its breath as Soviet ships approached the blockade and nuclear war seemed possible. Behind the scenes, messages passed between Kennedy and Khrushchev as both searched for a way out.

How war was avoided

In the end both leaders pulled back from the brink. Khrushchev agreed to remove the Soviet missiles from Cuba. In return, Kennedy publicly promised that the United States would not invade Cuba. Secretly, the United States also agreed to remove its own missiles from Turkey at a later date. This face-saving deal allowed both sides to claim they had not simply surrendered. The missiles were dismantled, and the immediate danger passed. The crisis is often seen as the closest the Cold War ever came to a full nuclear war between the superpowers.

The consequences

The Cuban Missile Crisis had important consequences. The most positive was that the shock of coming so close to nuclear war led both sides to be more careful. A direct telephone "hotline" was set up between the leaders in Washington and Moscow so they could communicate quickly in a crisis. The two sides also signed an agreement to limit nuclear weapons testing. In this sense the crisis improved communication and was a step toward the later easing of tension known as detente. At the same time, it confirmed the terrifying power of nuclear weapons and the danger of the arms race. Both superpowers had looked into the abyss and stepped back.

Examples in context

Example 1. The naval blockade as a careful choice. Faced with the missiles, Kennedy rejected calls for an immediate air strike or invasion, which could have triggered nuclear war, and chose a naval blockade instead. This gave Khrushchev time and a way to back down without immediate fighting. The choice of the blockade shows how leaders, aware of the nuclear danger, looked for options that applied pressure without forcing an instant war.

Example 2. The hotline and the lesson of the crisis. After the crisis, a direct communication link, the "hotline", was set up between Washington and Moscow so the leaders could talk quickly in an emergency. This, along with a nuclear test-ban agreement, shows that the terror of 1962 taught both sides the need for better communication and restraint. It marks the beginning of a more cautious phase that led toward detente.

Try this

Q1. In which year did the Cuban Missile Crisis take place? [3 marks]

• Cue. 1962.

Q2. Explain why the Cuban Missile Crisis was so dangerous. [5 marks]

• Cue. It brought the two nuclear-armed superpowers into a direct confrontation over missiles close to the United States; a single misjudgement could have triggered a nuclear war, making it the closest the Cold War came to such a war.

Q3. "The Cuban Missile Crisis was a victory for the United States." How far do you agree? [8 marks]

• Cue. Argue the missiles were removed, which looked like a US success, but weigh against the US promises (not to invade Cuba, and to remove its Turkey missiles) and the fact that both sides compromised; then judge.