Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis!

The Cuban missile crisis made the USA very uneasy because of the capability to launch missiles that could reach almost any US city within 20 minutes. The US president Kennedy had to sort out this major problem and he had several options.

Kennedy could firstly do nothing. This would mean that no advantages would be gained but none would be lost and the Americans were already a step ahead in the weapons area. The USA could destroy the USSR with their weapons so the USSR wouldn't attack the US cities. But for the USA to do nothing would be a sign of weakness and the USSR could capitalize. The president could also opt to attack by air which would destroy the missiles before they reached the US however the danger was that not all missiles could be destroyed and then the USSR would have good reason to attack as the USA attacked them first. The third option would be to get the United Nations involved to negotiate a deal so that no physical damage would occur to either sides. The US would be made to look weak and that they had to get help. Kennedy could also choose to start an all-out invasion of Cuba in which all missiles could be destroyed as well as the Cuban leader Fidel Castro however the USSR would fight back and possibly use it as an excuse to take over Berlin in Germany. The last option he could have chose was to blockade Cuba from USSR supplies. The US Navy would stop and search the Soviet ships and they called to take back what was already in Cuba. The problem was though that Cuba already had its missiles so it could attack and the blockade could be made to go away if they threatened a missile launch.

I would have chosen to get the United Nations involved and avoid all conflict as this would have had minimal damage and both sides could negotiate and agree decisions so that the missiles are removed and the USA stop the nuclear weapons. This option is much safer than the others because they could all cause retaliation and conflict which could spark a war. The negotiation would mean this would not happen so that is why I chose it as it avoids conflict but it makes the USA look weak but that is nothing compared to getting attacked by missiles or another war starting with nuclear weapons.