In October 1962, the world was on the brink of a nuclear war. News from the U.S. Central Intelligence about Soviet missiles being assembled in Cuba, just 90 miles from U.S. territory posed an immediate national security threat. After intense discussion and considerations of defense, U.S. President John F. Kennedy decided on a Navy blockade to quarantine Cuba at sea from any Soviet military entrance into the state. Under pressure to defend itself, the U.S. was prepared to use full military force in the event that the blockade is not successful. After thirteen long days of nuclear tension, President Kennedy and USSR President Nikita Khrushchev come to an agreement on the Soviet Union’s removal of the Cuban missiles in exchange for the U.S. not invading Cuba. Furthermore, U.S. missiles that were installed in the Turkey were also removed privately.
Many may claim that this superpower dual was the closest the world had come to a nuclear war that could have been detrimental to the survival of the human race. Though both leaders may have feared this very threat, the situation certainly frightened the rest of the world. The decision between life or death for much of the world lay in the hands of two superpower leaders. So why then, would Pres. Khrushchev present such a situation that could have easily been the end of civilization?
In observance of the Khrushchev’s bold actions, his statement was clear: the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was still a superpower comparable to the U.S. Or was this Khrushchev’s way of defending the Soviet Union and their allies? Perhaps Khrushchev was intending for both a declaration of power and the equalization of power. What exactly was Khrushchev trying to accomplish with taking such a bold move with the Cuban Missile Crisis?
We can dissect the possibilities of Khrushchev’s potential of thoughts with the following options:
- Expose the U.S. to the world –
- Prior to the crisis, the world was not aware of the U.S. secret placement of missiles in Turkey and Italy. It was because of Khruschev’s negotiations with Kennedy that the U.S. removed the missiles they had installed in Russia’s neighboring states. By threatening the U.S. to such an extent, they would be willing to remove these missiles and be exposed to the world of the secret actions.
- Gain popularity from the world –
- Perhaps Khrushchev gambled with the U.S. Intelligence and their ability to find out about the missile placements sooner than he intended. Perhaps he wanted the missiles to be spotted to alert the U.S. of a potential threat alongside its coast. If so, the U.S. would be alarmed enough to be on the defense. Due to the U.S. influence in much of the world, the news would reach the rest of these states receiving the full audience he intended to witness the U.S.S.R’s power and abilities.
- The U.S.S.R. was a superpower –
- Khrushchev’s ability to become allies with state physically close to the U.S. was a prime initiator of thought. Why not place missiles by the U.S. and have them know that the U.S.S.R. has power enough to match theirs? Or was he trying to contend with the U.S. in hopes that there would be a battle to really test their power?
Perhaps there are many ways to interpret the Soviet leader’s approach for the Cuban Missile Crisis. But there is no doubt that Khrushchev had a goal for such a potentially destructive plan.
Sources:
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/oct/22/cuban-missile-crisis-nikita-khrushchev
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