19. The impact of the Cuban Missile Crisis on US – Soviet relations
The Cuban missile crisis led to increased negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union regarding the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere. Kruschev also attempted to explore negotiations regarding the status of Berlin, the recognition of West Germany and East Germany, the recognition of the Communist government of China, and several other issues of contention between the superpowers. Kennedy was beset with the same hawks within his government, military, and Congress, who opposed any form of conciliation with the Soviet Union, and was unable to accomplish much in the way of opening talks with the Soviets in many areas. The increased American presence in Southeast Asia became another stumbling block to superpower cooperation.
The Cuban Missile Crisis humiliated the Soviets, who began an expansion of their land based and submarine based ballistic missile programs in an effort to first achieve parity with, and then exceed the United States’ nuclear arsenal. During its 13 days it featured many of the elements of the James Bond novels which President Kennedy enjoyed; the threat of the end of the world, spies and counterspies, the planting of false information, the forces of good against the forces of evil, and a rogue leader (Castro) who threatened to upset the resolution prepared by men of good intent. A Soviet naval officer prevented the eruption of nuclear war while American generals argued for it. It was the closest the world has yet come to the guiding principle of the Cold War, that of Mutual Assured Destruction.
Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“The Cuban Missile Crisis”. Charles Tustin Kamps, Air and Space Power Journal. Fall, 2007
“KGB: The Inside Story”. Oleg Gordievsky and Christopher Andrew. 1991
“13 Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis”. Robert F. Kennedy. 1969
“Did Kruschev Bluff in Cuba? No”. Raymond L. Garthoff, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. July, 1988
“John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis”. Ernest R. May, BBC History. November 18, 2013
“1962 Year in Review: Cuban Missile Crisis”. United Press International. December, 1962. Online
“Was Castro Out of Control in 1962?” Seymour Hersh, The Washington Post. October 11, 1987
“Robert Kennedy and his Times”. Arthur Schlesinger, 2002
“Anatomy of a Controversy: Anatoly F. Dobrynin’s Meeting with Robert F. Kennedy, Saturday, 27 October 1962”. Jim Hershberg, The Cold War International History Project Bulletin. Spring, 1995
“The Dark Side of Camelot”. Seymour Hersh. 1998
“Thirteen Days, Thirty Years After: Robert Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis Revisited”. Haruya Anami, Journal of American and Canadian Studies. 1994
“The Cuban Missile Crisis at 50”. Graham Allison, Foreign Affairs. 2012
