Summary: The Cuban Missile Crisis

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Pages: 3

Throughout the Cuban Missile Crisis, some would say that events that occurred during this time period are exaggerated. I would disagree with that statement. I believe that everything that happened within the Cuban Missile Crisis was as important and unhinged as it actually sounded. This period during the Cold War could be deemed the closest we as members of the world have been to having a worldwide nuclear war. The pressure on Kennedy and Khrushchev was intense. There was not only pressure on Kennedy because he was trying to stop a nuclear war. He also had to deal with Cuba itself and follow up on his promises with what was said in his presidential campaign. Kennedy in his campaign stated that he would get rid of Castro and free up Cuba right when his position came about of being president. Because of those promises he agreed to the CIA’s plan of the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Kennedy thought that in doing so, the Militia formed together would take over Cuba and it would once again become an ally. Unfortunately the mission was poorly put together and failed without hurting Cuba at all. With the failed mission to overrun Cuba, Castro knew that it was the US who planned the mission. He then decided to become allies with the Soviet Union for protection from any further conflict with the United States. …show more content…
The pressure came from more of a reputation standpoint. The USSR did not want to look weak to other countries. Therefore, if the Soviet Union did not protect Cuba they would lose reputability in the Cold War and inevitably look weak to other countries viewing this dilemma. The other part that put pressure on the Soviet Union was in terms of how the resolution of the Cold War went. In order to make the USSR look good, Khrushchev would have to find a suitable resolution that would make them look like they were better than the