Guiding Questions
Name: _________________
Document A: Letter from Soviet Chairman Khrushchev to President Kennedy
1. What are two reasons why Khrushchev feels threatened by the United States?
2. What deal does Khrushchev propose to Kennedy?
Document B: Letter from President Kennedy to Soviet Chairman Khrushchev
3. Kennedy restated Khrushchev’s proposals. Which proposal did Kennedy leave out?
4. What two actions is the United States willing to take in Kennedy’s letter?
5. According to Kennedy what is the most important step in the peace process that the
Soviet Union must complete?
Document C: Russian Ambassador Message to Soviet Foreign Ministry
6. What is Kennedy willing to do to get rid of Soviet military bases in Cuba?
7. Is the Kennedy administration willing to remove U.S. missiles from Turkey?
8. Why do you think this exchange happened in a private meeting (rather than in an
official letter)? [Remember, Document B was published in the New York Times].