The Cuban missile crisis lasted approximately 14 days. This era was one of the most dangerous in modern times, nearly driving the world’s two biggest superpowers into nuclear war with each other. There were many reasons for Khrushchev to place nuclear facilities in Cuba and then dismantle them. These reasons include; providing a quick fix to the strategic inferiority of the USSR, to eliminate the possibility of the US launching a first strike against them, and increasing its own first strike capabilities, to act as a physical deterrent to US Jupiter missiles. placed in Europe and around the world. , and then stop a nuclear war between the US and Russia. To understand these reasons, we must first understand what happened during the crisis and finally why Khrushchev made the choices he did.
The USSR had been in an inferior strategic position against the US for a long time, with only less than a fifth of the firepower that the US had. Because of this, the Soviet Union began to fabricate false reports on the number of nuclear warheads, in an attempt to scare the US. This became known as the Missile Gap, which Kennedy campaigned to close. The United States continued to build missiles and, when the crisis began, controlled more than 18,000 warheads. This was a ratio of seventeen to one against the Soviet Union, and it showed how much more power the United States had against them.
Since Fidel Castro assumed the presidency of Cuba after the 1959 revolution, Cuba had tried to isolate itself from the United States. Before Castro, Cuba encouraged US involvement in domestic and industrial affairs. A good example was the US industries inside Cuba that use Cuban workers. This use of Cuban citizens caused the revolution and that is why Castro wanted to disassociate himself from America. Because Castro installed a communist government in Cuba, the US broke all trade agreements with them and Cuba had to find another country to form trade agreements with. They turned to the USSR and the Soviets agreed, giving Cuba long-term, low-interest loans and military aid. One thing that made the Soviet link with Cube stronger was the failed US-backed counterrevolution by CIA-trained Cuban exiles. It was the famous Bay of Pigs invasion; the exiles didn’t even get past the beach. Although this failed attempt showed the Cuban authorities what the intentions of the United States really were. This was seen as a huge mistake on Kennedy’s part. After that, Castro was certain that the United States would attempt a full invasion of Cuba and requested military help from Khrushchev. Khrushchev complied and sent 60 missiles and his warheads, 22 jet light bombers, 39 MIG fighters, 3 cruise missiles, 62 other fighters and 12 Komar-class cruise missile patrol sites. All this was built and maintained by 42,000 Soviet soldiers deployed in Cuba. It was Castro’s fear of the US that stimulated offensive missile installations in Cuba. Although Khrushchev may have had other reasons for planting these missiles in Cuba, if Castro had not invited him to do so, this crisis may never have occurred.
The USSR put itself in a position that gave the US and its allies a superior first-strike capability. The US could not be reached from Russia using conventional weapons, where missiles in Turkey, Italy and England were pointed in its direction. The missiles in Cuba were only 90 miles from the US coast, and the missiles that the US had in Turkey were 135 miles from Russia. The United States was very concerned about the position of the missiles in Cuba, although the USSR thought that their complaints were hypocritical saying; Why shouldn’t the Soviet Union have the right to do the same as the United States? By placing Soviet missiles within 100 miles of the US coast, the USSR evened the score and allowed them to feel a little more secure and gave the US a reason not to attack.
Both the USSR and the US were concerned about each other’s first strike capabilities (the initial use of nuclear weapons to attack a country that also had nuclear weapons). This first-strike policy is considered feasible only when the attacker is able to destroy the retaliation capability of other countries. The Soviets before placing missiles in Cuba were at a great disadvantage against the US, and by placing the missiles in Cuba they increased their first strike capability by 70%. Because both sides feared the other would launch a first strike, the US introduced the idea of a second strike capability, which is the ability to survive a first strike and launch a second. This was one of the main justifications for the buildup of nuclear weapons by both the US and the USSR. The United States launched its Polaris fleet of nuclear submarines in preparation for a second attack. The USSR was afraid of the US, mainly because of its leadership in the buildup and power of nuclear weapons and because the US was acting more aggressively towards the USSR and the Soviets did not want the US to They will exploit their weakest position. By placing missiles in Cuba they ended their strategic inferiority and forced the US to respect their position. They used this position to try to negotiate to ease tensions between the two countries. By placing nuclear missiles so close to the United States, they thought that would make them listen.
It has been revealed that the USSR wanted to redirect government spending from the military to industrial and agricultural sectors. And by placing missiles in Cuba, a deadlock with the US would be created wherever possible. The only thing the Soviets wanted was recognition and respect. The United States flatly denied both and gave Khrushchev a choice that he would have to make that could either destroy the world or save it. The United States also created fear in Cuba with several assassination attempts against Castro, and it was these attempts that created the greatest distrust between the two countries. This is the distrust that made Cuba turn towards the USSR and in turn started the crisis. The United States cannot be entirely blamed for the crisis, although its part in it was excellent. It can be seen that it started because of each country’s views and fears about the political views and systems of government of the others and each of their own ideas about the motives of the others. All of these things fueled the cold war and made the Cuban missile crisis a flash point.
The Cuban missile crisis was a struggle between communism and capitalism, with neither side wanting to fight, it was appropriate that the solution to the crisis be compensation. Where every nation could stand down and claim a small success where no system of government was tainted in the process. It was a result that was required to avoid the obvious outcome of a nuclear war that was drawing ever closer.
The United States had missiles stationed in England, Italy and Turkey and they were all aimed at the USSR. Khrushchev used these missiles as justification for planting missiles in Cuba. He thought they would be as terrifying to the US as the missiles the US had planted in Turkey were to them. Khrushchev saw a way that Cuba could get a promise from the US not to invade them and they could dismantle the missiles in Turkey. This reasoning of his can be seen in a letter he wrote to Kennedy on October 27. His rockets are located in Great Britain, located in Italy, and they are aimed at us. His rockets are located in Turkey. You are worried about Cuba. You say that you are concerned because it is ninety miles by sea from the coast of America, but Turkey is next to us, he proposes then he. So I make this proposal: we agree to remove the missiles from Cuba those means that you consider offensive; we agree to carry it out and make a commitment at the United Nations. Their representatives will make a statement to the effect that the US, for its part. Taking into account the restlessness and anxiety of the Soviet state, it will remove its similar means from Turkey.
What Khrushchev did not know was that the United States had already marked the missiles in Turkey for dismantling. They were being replaced by the Polaris submarine fleet. And Kennedy saw that if he accepted this exchange publicly. It would be seen as him exchanging US security for turkeys, and if Khrushchev forced this trade, they could still force more trades. He decided that he would deny everything if these were the minimum requirements of him.
The placement of the missiles in Cuba showed the US what it was like to have nuclear warheads pointed at them and not have a safe place to go. This greatly scared the public and mass panic was seen across the country. The country wanted Kennedy to solve the crisis as soon as possible and by any means possible. Kennedy then publicly agreed to lift the quarantine he had on Cuba and agreed in person to dismantle the missiles in Cuba, Khrushchev however publicly agreed to dismantle the missiles in Cuba and the Soviets were seen to back down. This restored Kennedy to a ferocious public reputation and made the Soviets appear slightly weaker.
There were many reasons behind the Cuban missile crisis and many reasons why Khrushchev planted missiles in Cuba. Khrushchev wanted to feel more secure in his country and he wanted his country to feel more secure. He wanted Kennedy to know what it was like for him and release some of the Cold War tension by removing missiles from places so close to home. The Cuban missile crisis was one of the closest moments in history where mutually assured destruction was just around the corner. This crisis changed the way the world viewed the Soviet Union and Khrushchev somehow got what he wanted: for the USSR to be a powerful state that should not be underestimated. Personally I think the crisis was because the US is stubborn and power hungry, they are allowed to have all the power but when they are threatened it is a different story. Russia has learned its lesson, although the United States has not yet.
matthew spear