The Cuban Missile Crisis October 15 1962- October 27 1962
A Time of Despair, a Time of Worry, a Time of Panic. The cold war-a time when two super powers, the Soviet Union and the USA fought each other for the right to be called the most powerful nation in the world. Whether it be the Space race or the Cuban Missile Crisis these two super powers always had a lot to fight about. So enjoy learning all about the Cuban Missile crisis and Malmstrom Air Force Base s role in our slide show titled 13 Days of Despair.
13 Days of Despair A Slide Show on the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The Crisis Begins October 15, 1962 Monday
The Crisis Begins A U-2 reconnaissance pilot, Richard Heyser, takes photos which reveal the presence of SS-4 Nuclear missiles in Cuba.
Meanwhile back in Montana~ Malmstrom Air Force Base had the first and only solid fueled rocket, however they lacked ability to launch it.
October 16, 1962 Tuesday
October 16, 1962 President John F. Kennedy was informed of the missiles while eating breakfast. President Kennedy convened EX-COMM, his twelve most important advisors. What the president didn t know was that Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev had given the Soviet field commanders in Cuba permission to launch nuclear missiles if the United States invaded.
October 17, 1962 Wednesday
October 17, 1962 The first of three SS-5 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBM) were detected in Cuba.
October 18, 1962 Thursday
October 18, 1962 President John F. Kennedy meets with and advises Soviet Foreign Minister Andrie Gromyko that the United States will not tolerate the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba. Gromyko denies having weapons of any sort in Cuba.
Friday October 19,1962
October 19, 1962 President Kennedy meets with secretary of defense Robert McNamara to discuss military options. JFK left later to Chicago, he was told not to tell anybody about the crisis.
Meanwhile back in Montana~ Airmen at Malmstrom Air Force Base started laying wire to launch solid fuel rockets. Construction sites were in the middle of fields, and even on farms.
Saturday October 20, 1962
October 20, 1962 Robert Kennedy tells President Kennedy to return to Washington D.C. to discuss the discovery of new Soviet Missiles. At the time President Kennedy was in Chicago. After much debate the President finally agreed to return to Washington D.C. He told the media that he had a upper respiratory infection.
Sunday October 21,1962
October 21,1962 Kennedy asks the Air Force if they could take out all of the Cuban missiles. Only the ones we know about replied the Air Force. President Kennedy decided to navel block Cuba. Another U-2 plane discovered missiles being built on the North Shore of Cuba. President Kennedy told the media that he would tell the American Public tomorrow.
TOP SECRET SOME PICTUES TAKEN BY U-2 Spy PLANES
October 22 1962 Monday
October 22, 1962 The public was informed of the crisis on this day. Senate leaders were informed of the crisis and called for air strikes. Kennedy reinforced his decision for a quarantine. Marines reinforced the base at Guantanamo Bay.
President Kennedy s Speech Addressed the nation about what was going on in Cuba Announced plans to implement a naval blockade of Cuba. Sets military alert to DEFCON 3. Instructions were given to be ready to launch missiles within minutes of the President's speech. In response to this speech, Castro mobilized of Cuba s military forces.
Meanwhile back in Montana~ Kennedy ordered Malmstrom officials to be prepared to launch the missiles at any time.
October 23, 1962 Tuesday
October 23, 1962 A low level reconnaissance mission brought back stunning pictures of missiles prepared for launch. The OAS (Organization of American States) supports the decision to quarantine Cuba. McNamara and Kennedy review and discuss options for confrontation. By the end of the day, U.S. ships at the quarantine line were prepared to destroy any ship that failed to stop at that line.
October 24, 1962 Wednesday
Wednesday Soviet ships approached the quarantine. EX-COMM was worried that Khrushchev had not got hold of the ships to tell them to turn back. They got information later telling them Soviet ships had stopped.
Wednesday Secretary of State Dean Rusk quoted, We were eyeball to eyeball and the other guy just blinked. The crisis was not at its end.
October 25,1962 Thursday
October 25, 1962 U.S. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson confronts the Soviets at the U.N. but they refuse to answer. American military forces are instructed to set DEFCON 2 the highest ever in U.S. history. The military could, at a moment's notice, launch an attack on Cuba or the Soviet Union. Kennedy sends letter to Khrushchev blaming the soviets for the start of this crisis. EX-COMM discusses a proposal to withdraw missiles from Turkey if the Soviets withdraw their missiles from Cuba.
October 26,1962 Friday
Friday The U.S. Navy searched the Soviet ships and only found paper products. EX-COMM receives letter from Khrushchev in reply to Kennedy s speech.
Khrushchev's Letter
Friday Khrushchev said he would remove their missiles if President Kennedy said he would not attack Cuba. Later a U-2 flight revealed that Soviets were camouflaging their missiles.
October 27, 1962 Saturday
Saturday Khrushchev sends a letter saying if the U.S. removes its missiles from Turkey they will remove there s in Cuba. Pilot, Major Rudolf Anderson an American U- 2 flier was shot down over Cuba.
Saturday U-2 pilot strays into Soviet airspace accidentally while flying in Alaska. Soviet fighters nearly took the plane down. President Kennedy will make a statement saying he will not invade Cuba.
Meanwhile back in Montana~ People in Great Falls and on Malmstrom Air Force Base were relieved to know that they didn t have to be involved in nuclear warfare.
The Aftermath November 1962-Present
The end of the Cuban Missile Crisis did not lead to permanent peace between the USSR and the U.S. The countries still needed to get a formal agreement. At the end of the negotiations Castro tried to stop removal of the missiles.
Even after the crisis, both sides would still engage in conflict, continuing the Cold War until the 80 s when the Berlin wall fell. The United States still did not like communism, as you would see seven years later in the Vietnam War.
Even today, the United States is afraid of nuclear war. This is what led to the invasion of Iraq which we are no longer engaged in. The fall of the great Soviet Union did not end until the fall of the Berlin Wall in the 80 s. Thirteen days of despair only was a small chapter in the large book of the story of our fight against communism.
Late show fun facts.. For Seventeen years, the launch code remained the same eight digit number : 00000000. The launch code was even displayed on the launch check list! This would have made it very easy for a group of airmen to perform an unauthorized launch.