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Cuban Missile Crisis JCC: USA
Chair: Seamus Daniels
JCC PMUNC 2015
Contents
Chair Letter…………………………………………………………………...3
U.S. Policy In The Cold War………………………………………………….4
The U.S. And Cuba……………………………………….…………………..6
Other Policy Challenges…………………...………………….………………7
External Challenges……………………………....………………….....7
Internal Challenges…………………………………………......……..11
Committee Members….……………………………………………………..13
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Chair’s Letter
Dear Delegates,
Hello! My name is Seamus Daniels and I will be your chair for the USA section of
the Cuban Missile Crisis Joint Crisis Committee. First a little about myself: I hail from
Albany, the great capital of the Empire State of New York. I’m a huge fan of Manchester
United Football Club and the TV show Archer. At Princeton, I am a senior in the Woodrow
Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and am pursuing a Certificate in Near
Eastern Studies. On campus, I served as Secretary-General for PMUNC 2014, and am also a
member of the Princeton Tower Club and the Princeton Men’s Club Soccer Team.
I’m very excited to be one of the chairs for this year’s JCC on the Cuban Missile
Crisis. It’s an event that we all learn about in our US History textbooks, but we often forget
why the conflict still captivates the public imagination: it could have easily turned out very
differently. Depending on how the Americans, Soviets, and Cubans reacted, the Cuban
Missile Crisis could easily have resulted in nuclear war. Simulating this committee will allow
us to consider the “what-ifs”—in other words, how history might have played out in an
alternative universe. I urge you to consider these alternate possibilities, and look forward to
seeing how our committee plays out at the conference!
All the best,
Seamus Daniels
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JCC: USA
U.S. Policy in the Cold War
permanent modus vivendi that it is
desirable and necessary that the
The date is January 20, 1961. The U.S. is
internal harmony of our society be
currently embroiled in the Cold War with
disrupted, our traditional way of
the Soviet Union, a struggle for global
life be destroyed, the international
influence and domination. It’s not only a
authority of our state be broken, if
conflict between two superpowers; it’s a
Soviet power is to be secure. This
battle of ideologies. Capitalism versus
political force has complete power
Communism. The world is divided into
of disposition over energies of one
two spheres of influence, the allies of the
of world's greatest peoples and
United States and the West, and the
resources of world's richest
satellite states of the Soviet Union.
national territory, and is borne
George Kennan, the Deputy Chief of the
along by deep and powerful
Mission of the United States to the
currents of Russian nationalism.
U.S.S.R., outlines the struggle in the
In addition, it has an elaborate and
following excerpt from his 1946 “Long
far flung apparatus for exertion of
Telegram”:
its influence in other countries, an
apparatus of amazing flexibility
“In summary, we have here a
and versatility, managed by people
political force committed
whose experience and skill in
fanatically to the belief that with
underground methods are
US there can be no
presumably without parallel in
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history. Finally, it is seemingly
problem in war, and if necessary,
inaccessible to considerations of
with no smaller outlay in planning
reality in its basic reactions. For it,
effort. I cannot attempt to suggest
the vast fund of objective fact
all answers here. But I would like
about human society is not, as
to record my conviction that
with us, the measure against which
problem is within our power to
outlook is constantly being tested
solve--and that without recourse
and re-formed, but a grab bag
to any general military conflict..”1
from which individual items are
selected arbitrarily and
The current U.S. strategy in the Cold War
tendenciously to bolster an
is one of containment. In his 1947 Foreign
outlook already preconceived.
Affairs article entitled “The Sources of
This is admittedly not a pleasant
Soviet Conflict,” Kennan wrote “the main
picture. Problem of how to cope
element of any United States policy
with this force in [is] undoubtedly
toward the Soviet Union must be that of a
greatest task our diplomacy has
long-term, patient but firm and vigilant
ever faced and probably greatest it
containment of Russian expansive
will ever have to face. It should be
tendencies.”2 To that end, the U.S. needs
point of departure from which our
to stand firm and counter any potential
political general staff work at
expansion to the Soviet sphere of
present juncture should proceed.
influence.
It should be approached with
same thoroughness and care as
1
2 https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/russianhttp://nsarchive.gwu.edu/coldwar/documents/ep
federation/1947-07-01/sources-soviet-conduct
solution of major strategic
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The U.S. and Cuba
new government on May 7, 1960 and
appeared to be pushing the Caribbean
nation into its sphere of influence.4
On January 1, 1959, the Cuban
Revolution forced President Fulgencio
Batista and his U.S.-backed regime from
These fears were confirmed on December
power. Batista controlled an authoritarian
19, 1960 when Cuba and the U.S.S.R.
state, seizing power in a coup in 1952. The
aligned itself with the Soviet state
U.S. had a long relationship with Cuba
following the establishment of trade
since the Spanish-American War in 1898.
relations and the distribution of economic
Cuba became independent in 1902,
credit.5
though the U.S. reserved the right to
intervene in its internal affairs. By 1958,
Following the nationalization of all
however, the U.S. ceased providing
American property in Cuba in 1960,6 the
military aid to the Batista regime.3
U.S. to end diplomatic relations with Cuba
and to close its embassy in Havana on
January 3, 1961.7
Following Batista’s ousting, government
control was taken over by the leader of
the rebel forces, Fidel Castro. At this
ExComm must determine U.S. policy on
point, it is unclear as to the status of the
Cuba. A nation so closely aligned with the
Cuban government under Castro; it has
4
not declared itself as communist as of yet.
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/ti
meline/
5 Ibid.
6
The U.S.S.R., however, recognized the
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1203355.st
m
7
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/ti
meline/
3
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1203355.st
m
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Soviet Union just below the Southern
Other Policy Challenges
coastline poses serious national security
concerns. Cuba cannot become a base for
External Challenges
Soviet arms and missiles. Such a location
Germany
would place major American cities
Though the Allies agreed in principle to
including the capital in range.
an eventual unified German state after the
Additionally, Cuba cannot become a hub
end of World War II, in 1949 the Soviet
for further communist expansion in
Union declared that the zone of Germany
Central and Latin America. Cuba poses
it was occupying would be a fully
enough of a threat on American national
independent "German Democratic
security for the entire region to be
Republic" (GDR, or German Deutsche
exposed to Soviet influence.
Demokratische Republik DDR). In response,
the United States, the UK, and France
This committee must decided the next
merged their three zones and declared the
steps to take in addressing the threat of
Federal Republic of Germany (FRG, or
Cuba. Should our government adopt a
German Bundesrepublik Deutschland
hardline that threatens escalating the
BRD). Colloquially, these Germanys are
conflict?
known as East and West Germany,
respectively.
At any moment there are roughly 50,000
soldiers on either side of the Inner
German border, including troops from
both Germanys and from their state
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sponsors. For the first decade or so of
Germans. At the end of World War II, the
East and West German history, the USSR
Soviets also stripped East Germany of any
had held the advantage in numbers of
capital (e.g. machinery) and wealth they
conventional troops and ground forces
could find; this impeded East German
along this border and along other borders
economic growth.
in Europe. The only thing that has kept
them at bay has been the threat of nuclear
As a result of this huge disparity, East
retaliation. Unclassified estimations
Germany is particularly vulnerable to
indicate that the United States may have
Western propaganda. The United States
several hundred nuclear weapons
has been broadcasting Radio Free Europe
stationed in West Germany, deliverable
and Radio Liberty into East Germany
either by bomber or by missile. These
from the West German border and from
weapons remain under American lock and
West Berlin (see below), as well as from
key; the Germans themselves have no say
some ships.
in their use.
Ultimately, the US and allies' goal is a fully
Quality of life in West Germany remains
sovereign unified German state.
somewhat below US quality, since
Unfortunately, we don't expect the Soviets
Germany suffered more during the
to agree to this anytime soon. In the
Second World War, but quality of life in
meantime, we aim to maintain the current
East Germany is far lower. The Soviets
status quo, while minimizing the risk of
and their proxy German Communist Party
direct conflict between the two major
seem incapable of administering the
Cold War powers.
territory as efficiently as the West
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route for this is from East Berlin to West
Berlin. The Soviets are not impressed by
Berlin
this. Berlin remains the largest hole in
Currently, Berlin is divided into four
their Iron Curtain. There is still time for
sections, each occupied by one of the
diplomacy, but Berlin remains a potential
major European powers: the UK, the
flashpoint that could make this Cold War
USA, the USSR, and France. The Soviets
hot.
have used the Berliners (located deep in
East Germany) as hostages before. The
Turkey
USSR cut off all traffic, including food
The Turkish Republic has been a member
and fuel, from West Germany into West
of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Berlin in the spring of 1948. In response,
(NATO) since 1955, when it joined
the US and allies airlifted supplies into
simultaneously with Greece. Turkey is also
West Berlin for more than a year until the
the home of NATO's İncirlik air force
Soviets gave up the blockade, a major
base, a major factor in US power
propaganda victory for the US.
projection into the region. Since 1955,
Turkey has also been a founding member
According to West German law, all
of the Central Treaty Organization
Germans (East and West) are entitled to
(CENTO), a less functional mutual
full citizenship rights in West Germany.
defense alliance between the UK, Turkey,
These rights and the economic disparity
Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan. Turkey
are a huge incentive to East Germans to
contributed forces to the UN (US)
flee to the West; large numbers have been
mission in Korea during the Korean War.
doing so over the last decade. The easiest
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Geostrategically, Turkey's position is
probably the single most critical of any
Tensions also occasionally flare between
NATO ally. US intelligence forces are
Greece and Turkey, two countries that
openly able to watch Soviet and Soviet-
have been rivals more than friends for
aligned war ships move from the Black
more than a century. Both are NATO
Sea into the Mediterranean via the
members today, but fighting within the
Bosphorus and Dardanelles, straits Turkey
NATO bloc could tear the entire alliance
controls. News stories have asserted that
structure apart. The US cannot really
NATO is even tracking Soviet nuclear
afford to lose either member.
submarines as they attempt to travel
covertly through the straits. Turkey is also
Turkey is nominally a democracy, but for
one of only two NATO members that
the first two decades of its history it was a
share a direct land border with the USSR
one-party state. From 1946 until 1960,
(the other being Norway), in the Caucasus
there were free multi-party elections with
with the Armenian SSR and the
a peaceful transfer of power between
Azerbaijan SSR.
opposing parties, until in May 1960
General Cemal Gürsel lead a coup against
As of 1959, the US placed Jupiter-class
the democratically elected President and
missiles with nuclear warheads on Turkish
Prime Minister. Turkey currently remains
soil. These weapons remain in the custody
under authoritarian military rule. Aside
of the United States. The weapons were
from its oscillation between democracy
placed in order to assuage Turkish fear of
and military rule, the Turkish government
conventional or unconventional Soviet
remains staunchly secular and Capitalist.
attack on their land.
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mice, monkeys, and apes, but their
Internal Challenges
survival rate is far from acceptable for
human cargo.
Space Race
The USSR launched Sputnik 1 (Спутник-
The so-called “Space Race” is a
1) into orbit around our planet on
propaganda battle between the West and
October 4, 1957. In response, we
the East in the context of the greater Cold
attempted to launch our own satellite,
War. It is a challenge to see which side can
Vanguard, in December of that year.
better pursue technological advancement
Vanguard failed to launch and
and explore the universe. It is also a not-
experienced a catastrophic failure
so-subtle way for each side to make veiled
(explosion) on the launchpad,
threats: the same technology that put
embarrassing our country worldwide. At
Sputnik 1 and Explorer 1 into space could
the end of January, 1958, we successfully
just as easily be used to launch a nuclear
launched Explorer 1, the first American
weapon at the enemy, even across the
satellite.
planet. The Space Race is producing
technology with military use, most
The Soviets have continued their rocket
obviously in the form of missiles but also
testing, recently having sent dogs in
in other ways.
capsules into space. The dogs have not
survived reentry. Our own space program,
The Space Race is also extremely
administered by the newly organized
expensive. Critics of the space program
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space
are fairly rare because of the immense
Administration) has focused more on
propaganda value of the launches, but
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most criticism centers around claims that
the money spent on NASA could fund
Risk of Communist Infiltration
more effective propaganda.
Though former Senator Joseph McCarthy
ended up making a fool of himself on
Finally, there is the question of the
national television in his zeal, he wasn’t
militarization of space. Right now we are
entirely wrong. We believe that there are
not capable of putting serious weapons
Communists and sympathizers at various
into Earth’s orbit, but policymakers have
levels of the federal government, and of
quietly proposed such radical ideas as a
course in state and local governments.
US military base on the surface of the
Senator McCarthy was on the right track
Moon. These proposals are far off, but
when he investigated, in particular, the
our advisors say that using satellites to
State Department, though hist specifics
gather intelligence on the enemy is a
were lacking. It is unclear whether these
possibility within this (or at least by the
radicals are homegrown and unaffiliated
end of the next) Presidential term.
with the Soviet Union, or whether they
are taking orders from the Politburo itself.
Currently Soviet space technology is
We must be wary about whose advice to
superior to ours. Right now, if we are
trust. Our very inner circles may be
capable of developing any sort of space
breached.
weapon, you can be sure that the Soviets
have already made a prototype. Thus, we
Aside from infiltration into government,
must prepare for the future of warfare not
we believe that the Reds and their
just to defeat the enemy, but also in order
sympathizers are filling the media with
to ensure our own survival.
unpatriotic propaganda, and doing the
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work of the enemy. Hollywood is known
Members of the Executive Committee
to be full of Reds. America’s free media is
of the National Security Council
at once our strength and our weakness: it’s
(ExComm)
public knowledge that the media is
ExComm was a council of U.S. officials
independent from the state, but this
convened by President Kennedy to
means it is vulnerable to unpatriotic
address the threat posed by the Cuban
infiltration.
Missile Crisis. The Committee consisted
of members of the National Security
Further, after having surveilled major
Council as well as individuals consulted by
labor unions, we believe that many of
JFK. For the sake of the committee, some
them are also compromised by
historical members of ExComm have
Communists. They have been organizing
been excluded while other actors not
among the poor in the South, as well as in
originally in the council have been
the major unions. The FBI recommends
included.
further surveillance and possible direct
action against these domestic enemies
Robert Francis Kennedy, Attorney General-
before they more seriously harm our
Committee Director
country.
“The President’s younger brother
and most trusted adviser believed
doing nothing about the Soviet
missiles in Cuba was
“unthinkable”, while a surprise air
strike, in light of the memory of
Pearl Harbor, was against
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America’s traditions and would
Prior to joining the Kennedy
“blacken the name of the United
Administration, LBJ served as the
States in the pages of history”. He
Senator from Texas from 1949-
therefore favored the blockade as
1961 and Senate Majority Leader
an action that would “make
from 1955-1961. After losing the
known unmistakably the
Democratic nomination in the
seriousness of U.S. determination
1960 presidential election, he was
to get the missiles out of Cuba”
chosen to be the running partner
while leaving the Soviets “some
of JFK. During the crisis, he
room for maneuver to pull back”.
“sided with those in favor of a
At the height of the crisis, Robert
strike and advised the president
Kennedy met with Soviet
unsuccessfully against conferring
ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin
with congressmen and U.S. allies
and made explicit the threat of an
on ways to resolve the crisis, as
imminent U.S. attack, while also
Johnson believed they would
delivering the President’s secret
provide little help.”9 Johnson
promise to withdraw U.S. Jupiter
would assume the Presidency
missiles from Turkey in four to
following JFK’s assassination in
five months. He later wrote an
1963.
acclaimed account of the crisis,
Thirteen Days.”8
Lyndon B. Johnson, Vice President
Dean Rusk, Secretary of State
8
9
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
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David Dean Rusk was originally
toward the successful negotiation
JFK’s second choice for the
of the Limited Nuclear Test Ban
position of Secretary of State after
Treaty in August 1963.”10 Rusk
J. William Fulbright, but was
would go on to serve as Secretary
nevertheless nominated and
of State until 1969, tied for the
approved in 1961. “Rusk asserted
second-longest serving Secretary
that the Secretary of State served
of State.
at the pleasure of the President.
As such, the Secretary’s role
Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense
reflected that of an advisor who
JFK offered the position of
would preside over policy debates,
Secretary of Defense to Robert
offer informed views, and endorse
McNamara on the
the President’s decisions.
recommendation of former
Secretary of State and Secretary of
Rusk also advocated a “dignified
Defense Robert A. Lovett.
diplomacy,” emphasizing civility
and communication between the
“During the Cuban Missile Crisis,
United States and the Soviet
McNamara viewed the Soviet
Union. Rusk’s diplomatic
deployment as a political issue, not
orientation and his ability to
one affecting the overall nuclear
evaluate and judge competing
balance. He first raised for
points of view defused tensions
consideration the option of a
during the October 1962 Cuban
10
https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/peopl
e/rusk-david-dean
Missile Crisis and contributed
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blockade on October 16. A
after falling into conflict with the
persuasive advocate for the
Administration over its doctrine
blockade, McNamara believed it
of massive retaliation. Taylor
was important to keep all options
preferred a military policy based
on the table and leave the door
on a “flexible response” to the
open to negotiations, rather than
doctrine espoused by Eisenhower.
issue an ultimatum that the U.S.
12
would order an air attack on Cuba
if the missiles were not removed.
JFK persuaded Taylor to return to
He feared that any sudden military
active service and named him
move could provoke a response
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs in
from the Soviets that could trigger
1962.13 During the Cuban Missile
a nuclear war.”11
Crisis, “Taylor joined with other
hardliners in advocating a surprise
General Maxwell D. Taylor, Chairman of the
military air strike. However, he
Joint Chiefs of Staff
had his doubts about getting “our
A veteran of World War II and
feet in that deep mud of Cuba”
the Korean War, Taylor served as
and believed a costly invasion
Army Chief of Staff under the
should be a last resort.”14
Eisenhower Administration. He
would resign and retire from
12
http://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/21/obituaries
/maxwell-d-taylor-soldier-and-envoydies.html?pagewanted=3
13 Ibid.
active service, however, in 1959
11
14
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
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John A. McCone, Director of Central Intelligence
launch the missiles against the
U.S.”15
“After the Bay of Pigs, John
McCone replaced Allen Dulles as
CIA Director. McCone foresaw
Llewellyn E. Thompson, Jr., Ambassador at
the Soviet deployment of missiles
Large for Soviet Affairs
in Cuba and ordered the U-2
“Former U.S. ambassador to
flights on October 14 that
Moscow, with extensive
discovered them. He took a hard
knowledge of the Soviet Union, its
line during the crisis. However, he
language, history and culture,
thought a surprise attack on Cuba
Thompson was described by Dean
would force the U.S. to live with a
Rusk as “our in-house Russian
“Pearl Harbor indictment”.
during the missile crisis”. He
Therefore, he argued that before
supported the blockade and urged
an air strike, Castro and
the President to accompany it with
Khrushchev should be given
a demand that Khrushchev
warning and 24 hours to begin
dismantle the weapons in Cuba.
dismantling and removing the
Thompson believed that in the
missiles. McCone believed a
end the blockade-ultimatum
blockade would not be sufficient
approach would probably still lead
to resolve the crisis, as it would
to a strike. However, “we do it in
allow a long drawn-out period
an entirely different posture and
during which the Cubans could
background and much less danger
15
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
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of getting up into the big war.”
important thing for Khrushchev,
Thompson also influenced the
it seems to me, is to be able to say
President’s decision to respond to
‘I saved Cuba; I stopped an
Khrushchev’s first, private, more
invasion.’ And he can get away
conciliatory letter of October 26,
with this, if he wants to, and he’s
ignoring the second, public, more
had a go at this Turkey thing, and
aggressive statement, which raised
that we’ll discuss later.””16
the issue of a Turkey-Cuba trade.
Thompson argued strongly against
McGeorge Bundy, National Security Advisor
accepting such a bargain, which he
“In 1953, at the age of 34, Bundy
believed would involve trading not
became the youngest ever dean of
just missiles for missiles, but
Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and
everything from planes to
Sciences, before serving as
technicians, leading to the
National Security Adviser from
effective abandonment of the U.S.
1961 to 1966. During the Cuban
base in Turkey. He suggested that
Missile Crisis Bundy encouraged
the first letter Khrushchev had
the President to consider all
written himself and sent out
possible courses of action and
without clearance, while the
sometimes played devil’s advocate
second, public statement was
or changed his mind. For example,
likely dictated by Politburo
Bundy made the case for doing
hardliners. Thompson argued that
nothing about the Soviet missiles
Khrushchev needed something he
16
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
could use to save face: “The
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in Cuba. On October 18 he
the missiles, and threaten further
argued that “we would be better
military action. Dillon argued that
off to merely take note of the
the President had to show his firm
existence of these missiles, and to
intentions to the Russians and not
wait until the crunch comes in
look as if he were backing down.
Berlin”. The next day he changed
He first suggested the idea of
his mind and favored decisive
using the blockade as a way to
action – a surprise air strike, as the
present the Soviets with an
blockade would not be enough to
ultimatum to remove the missiles
remove the missiles from Cuba.”17
or face military action.”18
C. Douglas Dillon, Secretary of Treasury
Theodore Sorensen, Special Counsel
Although a member of the
“The President’s chief
Republican party, JFK selected C.
speechwriter and close confidant,
Douglas Dillon as Secretary of the
Sorensen advocated a naval
Treasury in 1961. “Dillon took a
blockade as the best first response
hard line during the Cuban Missile
to the Soviet missiles in Cuba.
Crisis. Initially he favored a
Along with McNamara, he
military strike but later, along with
believed the blockade could only
Thompson, Dillon proposed to
freeze the status quo and open the
begin with the blockade, refuse
door to negotiations. While it
negotiations, demand removal of
would put a halt to further
17
18
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
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shipments of missiles, the
Force.21 “During the missile crisis,
blockade would not force the
Gilpatric opposed the military
Soviets to remove the missiles
strike option and supported the
already in place in Cuba. Sorensen
blockade. In a crucial meeting on
carefully drafted Kennedy’s
October 20, as President Kennedy
speech to the nation announcing
weighed the two options, Gilpatric
the blockade and letters to
summed up the arguments:
Khrushchev, knowing that
“Essentially, Mr. President, this is
“anything that angered or soured
a choice between limited action
Khrushchev could result in the
and unlimited action, and most of
end of America, maybe the end of
us think that it’s better to start
the world.””19
with limited action.””22
Roswell Gilpatric, Deputy Secretary of Defense
Edwin M. Martin, Assistant Secretary of State
“A graduate of Yale, with a
for Inter-American Affairs
background in law,”20 Gilpatric
Edwin Martin served as Assistant
served as Deputy Secretary of
Secretary of State for Inter-
Defense from 1961 to 1964 after
American Affairs from 1962-1964.
serving as Assistant Secretary and
“An expert on economics, he was
Under Secretary of the Air
appointed to the inter-American
21
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/17/us/roswel
l-l-gilpatric-lawyer-and-kennedy-aide-dies-at89.html
19
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
20
22
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
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affairs post in March 1962. In
more serious than Castro.''”23
choosing him, the Kennedy
“During the missile crisis, he
administration was seen as moving
favored the blockade option and
to reinforce the Alliance for
helped to brief members of the
Progress, a United States aid
Organization of American States
program for Latin America. But
(OAS) to obtain their backing for
by late April 1962, the indications
it.”24
were that he had become the
closest thing to an overall ''boss''
Paul Nitze, Assistant Secretary of Defense
of Latin American policy that the
“Paul Nitze had famously drafted
Kennedy administration had had.
National Security Council memo
NSC-68 in 1950, which helped
Before the missile crisis began, he
shape U.S. policy during the Cold
coordinated American endeavors
War, by calling for a substantial
to cut Cuba off from other
increase in military spending and
Western Hemisphere
“a rapid build-up of the political,
governments. In addition, he said
economic, and military strength in
in an interview in August 1962:
the free world” to contain the
''We want to get rid of Castro and
Soviet threat. As Assistant
the Soviet Communist influence in
Secretary of Defense during the
Cuba -- not just Castro. I think the
23
Soviet Communist influence is
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/17/world/ed
win-martin-93-a-voice-in-60-s-latin-americapolicy.html
24
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
21
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Cuban Missile Crisis, Nitze was
involvement in the Vietnam
among the hawkish members of
War.”26
ExComm, urging an immediate
military strike, as he believed the
General Curtis LeMay, Chief of Staff of the
Soviet missiles in Cuba
United States Air Force
dramatically altered the strategic
“With a distinguished military
nuclear balance.”25
career, Curtis LeMay had
commanded the 305th Bomb
George Ball, Under Secretary of State
Group during WWII, pioneered
“Under Secretary of State from
many bomber flying formations,
1961 to 1966, George Ball was
overseen the Berlin Airlift, and
active at the State Department in
headed the Strategic Air
implementing the U.S. trade
Command, before becoming Air
embargo against Cuba. During the
Force Chief of Staff in 1961.
Cuban crisis he opposed the idea
During the Cuban crisis, General
of a surprise air strike, like many
LeMay emerged as a strong
others offering the analogy to
opponent of the blockade option.
Pearl Harbor, and favored instead
He believed there was no choice
the blockade option, which would
but immediate direct military
give time to the Soviets to reflect
action, and warned that the first
and consider backing down. Ball
thing the Soviets would do after
later advised against U.S.
the announcement of the blockade
25
26
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/excomm/
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would be to hide the missiles. He
diplomatic approach, instead of an
thought the blockade would
air strike. Stevenson’s “finest
ultimately lead to war, and warned
hour” was the October 25 debate
the President, “We’re just going to
at the United Nations, during
gradually drift into war under
which he confronted Soviet UN
conditions that are at great
representative Valerian Zorin with
disadvantage to us…This is almost
photographic evidence and
as bad as the appeasement at
aggressively demanded that he
Munich.””27
admit the Soviet deployment of
missiles in Cuba.”28
Adlai Stevenson II, U.S. Ambassador to the
United Nations
Admiral George Whelan Anderson, Jr., Chief of
“Adlai Stevenson was Governor
Naval Operations
of Illinois, a Democratic Party
A navigator on the USS Yorktown
presidential candidate in 1952 and
in the Pacific during the Second
1956, and served as Ambassador
World War, George W. Anderson
to the United Nations from 1961
was Chief of Naval Operations at
to 1965. During the Cuban Missile
the time of the Cuban Missile
Crisis, Stevenson came to
Crisis. As such, he was responsible
Washington and joined a few of
for the U.S. blockade of Cuba
the White House sessions. He
during the crisis. “President
urged moderation and a
Kennedy was quoted as telling Mr.
27
28
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/us-players/
http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/d
ramatis-personae/us-players/
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Anderson, "Well, Admiral it looks
as though this is up to the Navy,"
to which he replied, "Mr.
President, the Navy will not let
you down." Time magazine
featured him on its cover, calling
him "an aggressive blue-water
sailor of unfaltering competence
and uncommon flare."”29 A feud
with Defense Secretary Robert
McNamara led to his replacement
as CNO in 1963, but he would be
appointed as the Ambassador to
Portugal by JFK shortly after.30
29
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/22/us/admgeorge-w-anderson-85-was-in-charge-of-cubablockade.html
30 Ibid.
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25