the cuban missile crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis

Graceful Generalizing, Cold War Strategy, and seeing all

sides in less than 50 minutes.NCSS Conference

The ABC-CLIO Inquiry Method

• Step 1: Develop Key Questions• Step 2: Need To Know• Step 3: Develop More Key

Questions• Step 4: More Need To Know• Step 5: The Enduring Dilemma• Step 6: Investigate

Do you know what the bay of pigs is?

A. Yes

B. No

#1. Key Questions: Asking the questions that allow for broader analysis

• What was the Cold War?• Who where the main opponents during the Cold

War?• When and what was the Cuban Missile Crisis?• Who were the critical leaders?• What was the reality of MRBMs and IRBMs?

A war of Ideology and Unthinkable weapons: Political and Economic

• What was the Cold War?• Who where the main opponents

during the Cold War?• When and what was the Cuban

Missile Crisis?• Who were the critical leaders?• What was the reality of MRBMs and

IRBMs?

Main Protaganists: JF Kennedy and N Khruschev

• What was the Cold War?• Who where the main opponents

during the Cold War?• When and what was the Cuban

Missile Crisis?• Who were the critical leaders?• What was the reality of MRBMs and

IRBMs?

Birds of a Feather: F Castro and N Khruschev in ideological embrace.

The “Proof”: Clear evidence of a secrete build-up of missiles (MRBM and

IRBM) in Cuba.

• What was the Cold War?• Who where the main opponents

during the Cold War?• When and what was the Cuban

Missile Crisis?• Who were the critical leaders?• What was the reality of MRBMs and

IRBMs?

Medium Range and Intermediate Ranges for Russian Missiles.

3. More Need to Know: Second level of questions.

• Why did the US react to the placement of Soviet missiles in Cuba when the US had placed its own Jupiter IRBMs in Turkey?

• Why was it so critical for the US to go to the UN?• Why move to confrontation with the USSR/Cuba

over the issue?

The US Jupiter IRBM: 15 in Turkey

• Why did the US react to the placement of Soviet missiles in Cuba when the US had placed its own Jupiter IRBMs in Turkey?

• Why was it so critical for the US to go to the UN?

• Why move to confrontation with the USSR/Cuba over the issue?

Evidence presented at the United Nations; support for a blockade.

• Why did the US react to the placement of Soviet missiles in Cuba when the US had placed its own Jupiter IRBMs in Turkey?

• Why was it so critical for the US to go to the UN?

• Why move to confrontation with the USSR/Cuba over the issue?

Brinkmanship: JFK will stop all Russians ships, period.

• Why did the US react to the placement of Soviet missiles in Cuba when the US had placed its own Jupiter IRBMs in Turkey?

• Why was it so critical for the US to go to the UN?

• Why move to confrontation with the USSR/Cuba over the issue?

US naval vessel and patrol craft intercept and ward off a Russian

freighter.

JFK and military advisors – options?

5. The Enduring Dilemma: “What were the real motivations that lead Kennedy and

Khruschev to act as they did?”

1. Nuclear Arms Race.2. Ideological Conflict/Aspirations.3. Third World Rivalries.4. Relations with Allies (esp. USSR and

Cuba).5. Domestic Impact of Foreign Policy.6. Personalities of the leaders.