HISARSCHOOL
JUNIORMODELUNITEDNATIONS2016
“SUSTAININGTHEFUTURE”
HistoricalCommittee
OntheCubanMissileCrisis
RESEARCH
Recommendedby:
REPORT
EmirRazFunes
RESEARCHREPORT
Forum:TheHistoricalCommittee
Issue:TheCubanMissileCrisis StudentOfficer:EmirRazFunes Introduction
The Cuban Missile Crisis, known by many names, has become famed in history books as being the
closesttheWorldevergottoenteringanall-outnuclearwar.Thecrisiswasuniqueonthefactthatit
contained several important direct and secret calculations, in addition to severe miscommunications
betweenthetwosides.
After the U.S was disgraced severely by their failed Operation to invade Cuba from The Bay of Pigs,
diplomaticrelationsbetweentheCubangovernmentandUSSRwerecemented.Followingthespectacle,
the Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev hatched a scheme to plant nuclear missiles into Cuba, for a
double-pronged tactic to repel any further American invasions into Cuban territory, while also
apprehending the U.S in a strategical deadlock. After the Soviets gained the approval of the Cuban
leader Fidel Castro, they covertly commenced the setting and construction of the missile bases. The
secrecy of the operation was compromised when a U2 aircraft photographed the missile sites, and
PresidentKennedywasmadeawareoftheinfrastructurebeingbuilt.
DefinitionofKeyTerms
M.A.D: The abbreviation that stands for Mutually Assured Destruction, which is the state where both
statesinaconflicthaveenoughnucleararmamentstoeliminatecompletelytheotherone.
U-2:ThesurveillanceplanesusedbytheU.Sforreconnaissanceandsurveillanceduringthecrisis.
DEFCON:AnalertstateusedbytheUnitedStatesArmedForces,whereDEFCON5standsforthelowest
stateofreadiness,andDEFCON-1Standsforthemaximum.ThestateinwhichtheCubanMissilecrisis
classifiedas,DEFCON-2,isdescribedas“beingastepawayfromNuclearwar”,withthearmedforces
keptinready-state,tobedeployedinsixhoursshouldanissuearise.
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GeneralOverview
Afterthediscoveryofthemissilesites,PresidentKennedyassembledtheNationalSecurityCouncil,to
deliberate on what had to be done. After deliberations lasting for a week, Kennedy made a public
declaration on October 22, to inform the populace of the Russian missile sites, and to explain his
designated reaction to the newly-forming crisis: A naval “quarantine” was ordered against Cuba, to
prevent the Soviet missile shipments from arriving. The word quarantine was used on purpose, to
legallydistinguishtheactionfroma“blockade”,whichwouldhavebeenanactofaggression,andwould
thereforecallforwar.
A letter was sent to USSR on the same day, declaring that the U.S would not permit the delivery of
weaponry into Cuba. The letter went on to demand the dismantlement of the Soviet military bases in
Cuba,andthereturningoftheSovietweaponsbacktoTheSovietUnion.
On October 24, Premier Khrushchev responded to the letter with a statement that declared the U.S
blockadeasanactofaggression,andthattheSovietdeliverieswouldproceedunimpeded.Whilethe
quarantine went on as planned, Soviet missile stations were observed to be nearing operationreadiness.Duetotheongoingcrisis,U.SforceswereplacedatDEFCON2-meaningwartobeimminent.
Whilethecrisisseemedtobelingeringatastalemate,however,aprivatemessagewassenttoKennedy
from Khrushchev himself. The message called for negotiations to prevent an all-out Nuclear war, and
presentedanopportunityforthenegotiationstocommence.OnOctober27,Khrushchevsentanother
message, indicating that any negotiation proposal must include the removal of U.S -placed Jupiter
missiles from Turkey. Tensions continued to rise, in the meantime, as a U.S U-2 Recon. Jet was shot
downoverCuba.AmessageproposingtermswassenttoKhrushchevthatnight,whileAttorneyGeneral
Robert Kennedy secretly met with The Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin, to indicate that the U.S
missiles would be removed, but their removal could not be a part of the public treaty. An agreement
wasreached,therefore,andPremierKhrushchevannouncedthedismantlementoftheSovietmissiles
fromCuba,yetthenavalblockadeandthequarantineremaineduntiltheconditionwasfulfilled.Inturn,
theU.SJupitermissileswereremovedfromturkeyon1963
MajorPartiesInvolvedandTheirViews
TheU.S
AftertheirdisastrousproceedingintheBayofPigsinvasion,theU.Slostagreatdealofit’sreputation
to the public eye. Though there are many people in the National Security Council that would demand
warfare, The President John F. Kennedy, and therefore the country itself, opted for diplomacy, while
keepingarmamentsreadyincaseofnuclearwar.
USSR
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TheSoviets,duetothenecessityofastrategicnuclearpositionwouldbevehementintheirsupportof
the Nuclear positions remaining. They stand as the supporters to Cuba in the conflict, while trying to
preservetheirinterests,andatthesametime,attainingasatisfactoryoutcomeofthenuclearchokehold
present.
TheCubanGovernment:
Cuba and their stance on the issue stems from the invasion of the Bay of Pigs. Though it failed
miserably, the threat of an American invasion is still on the horizon. Cuba is also a staunch soviet
supporter in the present situation, and would be expected to align their national policy with theirs
regardingthematterathand.
TimelineofEvents
28.10.1959
7.5.1960
19.10.1960
19.12.1960
20.1.1961
17.4.1961
15.9.1962
14.10.1962
22.10.1962
25.10.1962
26.10.1962
27.10.1962
28.10.1962
6.12.1962
USandTurkeyagreetoplaceJupiterMissilesinTurkey,inmissilerangeto
Moscow.
USSR diplomatically recognizes the Cuban government, prompting the
establishmentofdiplomaticrelations
The US ends all exports to Cuba, in response to the nationalization of the
Americanpropertysituatedinthecountry
Cubaestablishestraderelations,andthusofficiallyalignsitselfwithUSSR
JohnF.KennedyissworninasPresidentoftheUnitedStates.
The Bay of Pigs invasion commences. The Operation would fail after a
spectacleoftwodays,harminggreatlytheimageofbothKennedy,andthe
US
(Reportedly)ThefirstshiptocarrySovietmissilesdocksinCuba
The first pictures of the Soviet missiles are taken by a U2 aircraft, flying
overCuba
President Kennedy announces the presence of the missiles, ordering the
quarantineofweaponsshipmentsintoCuba.
An emergency meeting of the UN Security council is requested, where whileAmericanevidencewaspresented-theAmbassadorofUSSRrejected
theclaimsofSovietmissilesbeingsituatedinCuba
The negotiations between Premier Khrushchev and President Kennedy
commence, by way of a private letter from The Premier that stated his
willingnesstoremoveSovietmissiles,undercertainterms
A public demand for the previous letter was issued, ratifying the terms
discussed
Public announcement from USSR, that they will withdraw their missiles
fromCuba
ThelastIL-28bomberleavesCuba,thereforeendingtheNuclearthreat
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Bibliography
History.com Staff. "Cuban Missile Crisis." History.Com. A E Networks, Autumn 2010. Web. 29
Nov. 2016.
Not Specified. "Cuban Missile Crisis." JFK Library. John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, -. Web.
29 Nov. 2016.
"History of The Cuban Missile Crisis." Harvard Kennedy's School-Cuban Missile Crisis. Ed. Arielle
Dworkin. Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs,
unspecified. Web. 26 Nov. 2016.
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