The Cuban Missile Crisis By Sharon Fabian

Transcription

1 By Sharon Fabian 1 On October 16, 1962, President John F. Kennedy received a report from the CIA. The report said that the CIA had photographs taken by a U-2 spy plane that showed nuclear missile sites in., which had been providing support to, was building the missile sites. 2 This was frightening information. and the Soviet Union were already involved in a Cold War, and people feared the outbreak of a real war, especially a nuclear war. 3 The information said that the Soviets were building the site for medium range nuclear missiles. With these missiles, a nuclear bomb could reach the United States from. 4 For any story, especially a story about a possible war, there is more than one way to tell the story - more than one point of view. Here are three possible points of view on the n Missile Crisis. 5 6 The traditional United States point of view is the easiest one to find. It is in history books and encyclopedias. At one time it was the only point of view that was known by many people in the United States. 7 It might begin with the description above about the day that President Kennedy learned about the Soviet missile sites in. This version of the story portrays the event as a hostile and aggressive act. It was a move taken by the Soviet Union in order to threaten the United States. 8 was no match for the United States. The US had built up strong nuclear weapons of its own. These stockpiles of weapons told other countries not to mess with the US. President Kennedy and his advisors took a strong stand too. They sent ships to blockade. They refused to give in to the Soviet aggressors. Finally the Soviet Union had to back down. They packed up their missiles and went home At the time all of this was happening, people in the United States did not know what the Soviet Union's point of view might be. Premier Khrushchev and the rest of the Soviet edhelperblog.com/cgi-bin/vspec.cgi?f 1/5

2 Union kept its information to itself; it did not broadcast it to the world. As the Cold War escalated between the US and the USSR, the Soviet Union became even more secretive. 11 Many years later, after the Cold War ended, historians began to learn how the Soviet Union viewed the event. They learned that, in the Soviet point of view, the n Missile Crisis did not begin on October 16, 1962, but much earlier. 12 In 1959, the United States had begun to build nuclear missile sites in Turkey and Italy. Turkey and Italy are close to the Soviet Union, just as is close to the United States. By 1962, these missile sites were completed. 13 To maintain a strong defense, the Soviet Union decided to build its own missile sites in. Then the United States interfered by setting up the blockade. When it demanded that the Soviet Union remove its missiles from, the Soviet Union replied that, first, the United States must remove its missiles from Turkey and Italy. 14 After secret negotiations, and some very close calls, the Soviet Union decided that it would remove its missiles. would also remove its missiles in Turkey and Italy At one time, had been allied with the United States. In fact, the United States still had its military base at Guantánamo,. However, and the United States were no longer seeing eye to eye. This was especially true since the failed invasion of at the Bay of Pigs. 17 Now, preferred to be allied with the Soviet Union. It received aid from the Soviet Union and allowed the Soviet Union to build its missile sites in. 18 When the n Missile Crisis ended, an agreement was reached that settled the problem between the United States and the Soviet Union, but it did not solve 's problems. 19 on. No matter which way you tell the story, there is one part that everyone can agree 20 could have turned into a disaster for the entire world. Instead, President Kennedy and Premier Khrushchev put world peace ahead of their own countries' interests. They found a way to end the crisis before it turned into a nuclear war. Copyright 2010 edhelper edhelperblog.com/cgi-bin/vspec.cgi?f 2/5

3 Name Date 1. All of the following countries were involved in the n Missile Crisis, except Germany 3. ended with a/an Agreement War Surrender Battle 5. At one time, had been allied with Both Neither 2. What happened on October 16, 1962? learned that the Soviet Union was building missile sites in. bombed the Soviet Union. learned that the United States had built missile sites in Turkey and Italy. bombed the United States. 4. At the time of the crisis, people in the United States were most afraid of Hurricanes Being attacked by An attack on their ships A nuclear attack by the Soviet Union 6. Nikita Khrushchev was the leader of The United Nations edhelperblog.com/cgi-bin/vspec.cgi?f 3/5

4 Name Date 7. Medium range nuclear missiles were Powerful weapons that could reach the United States from Hand-held missile launchers like the ones used in Iraq The type of weapons called "dirty bombs" today None of the above 8. Which happened last? Nuclear missile sites were built in. Nuclear missile sites were built in Turkey. Kennedy received a CIA report on October 16, Kennedy and Khrushchev reached an agreement. edhelperblog.com/cgi-bin/vspec.cgi?f 4/5

5 - Answer Key 1 Germany 2 learned that the Soviet Union was building missile sites in. 3 Agreement 4 A nuclear attack by the Soviet Union 5 Both 6 7 Powerful weapons that could reach the United States from 8 Kennedy and Khrushchev reached an agreement. edhelperblog.com/cgi-bin/vspec.cgi?f 5/5