The Cuban Missile Crisis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Cuban Missile Crisis - Research Paper ExampleAs a result of a presidential proclamation date February 3, 1962 the following was made clear, the United States, in accordance with its international obligations, is prepared to take all necessary goions to promote national and hemispheric security by isolating the present Government of Cuba and thereby reducing the threat posed by its alignment with the communist powers (Kennedy). In May 1962 the Union of Soviet state-controlled Republics (USSR) under the premier Nikita Khrushchev decided to implement a plan to base nuclear projectiles in Cuba. According to John Correll a writer with Airforce-Magazine.com, He was reacting, superficially at least, to the Jupiter intermediate-range ballistic missiles the United States had recently installed in Tur tell. More important, though, Khrushchev wanted to compensate for Russias strategic disadvantage in long-range missiles. (Correll) There was likewise the nuclear arms track down between t he USSR and the United States, which was a direct result of the Cold War. The Cold War was named this beca intake it was a period of heightened tensions between the USSR and the ground forces beginning after World War II however, there was not actually a full war in effect. The nuclear arms race was the result of both superpowers involved in the Cold Wars direct desires to create a better military machine. According to the Flow of account teaching website, However, in the late 1950s the arms race combined with continuing Cold War rhetoric made the American public scour more afraid of growing Soviet military power than nuclear holocaust (FC144 the Nuclear Arms Race). This desire of military supremacy through the use of nuclear arms had obvious negative consequences. The USSR wanted to use Cuba as we had used other small nations in proximity to the USSR to stage weapons specifically intentional to prevent conflict through their existence. The United States had an important self-rea lized role, according to author Jutta Weldes, The United States, with its identity as the leader of the free world, had an obligation to itself, to its allies, and to its moral convictions-to act to forestall the toppling of that domino (Weldes 15-15). Understanding the leaders involved is important to understanding the crisis itself. In the United States the important decision makers regarding the Cuba Missile Crisis were, President John F. Kennedy, interior(a) Security Advisor McGeorge Bundy, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several other high ranking political leaders. On the USSRs side the key decision makers were Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, Cuban leader Fidel Castro and their staff. In the United States President Kennedy was extremely agitated once it was found out that the Soviets were attempting to build missile launchers in Cuba. According to author Ernest r. May et.al, For Kennedy, the presence of these missiles was intolerable. Dur ing the next 13 days (the Crisis lasted for 13 days) Kennedy and a circle of advisers debated how to cope with the challenge, knowing that one practicable outcome was nuclear war (May, Zelikow 11). The obvious desire of the United States government, namely the president, he was to see this stopped completely. However, more importantly the president did show organizational skills even in the face of what was at that time arguably the most important potentially life