27 October 1962
Known as Black Saturday.
On Saturday October 27, 1962, the twelfth day of the Cuban missile crisis, President John F. Kennedy might have been thinking about that famous law's corollary: Murphy was an optimist. ... Khrushchev's letter the day before had conditioned the withdrawal of Soviet missiles solely on a U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba.
Cuban Missile Crisis Summary
Cuba had good diplomatic relations with USA, with President Fulgencio Batista allowing US-based industries to have cheap manufacturing facilities there. But all this changed after the overthrow of President Batista, and led to the revolution and reformation of Cuba by Fidel Castro.
Sensing that Fidel Castro would advocate communism instead of socialism, the US decided to overthrow Castro by a CIA-backed plan, called the Bay of Pigs. The mission involved sending Cuban exiles who received CIA training to enter through a pocket near an island called the Bay of Pigs. The mission backfired, with all the militants being either captured or executed. The Kennedy Administration took responsibility for this failed attempt. The Soviet Union persuaded Cuba to stock nuclear warheads to defend against a preemptive strike from the US. Thus, Cuba joined hands with its communist ally and refused any further negotiations with the US.
The missiles were aimed at Florida, which was 90 miles from Cuba. Various appeals to Cuba to remove the warheads failed. This led to a standoff between the Soviet Union and the US, with both parties refusing to budge, and Cuba stuck in the middle of it all. The upcoming sections summarize the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis, a confrontation which lasted for 13 days, and resolved at the behest of the cool-mindedness of two men - President John F. Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev.
Timeline
● Oct 15, 1962
A U-2 spy plane takes photographic evidence of medium-range missiles placed in Cuba.
● Oct 16, 1962
The Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM) was formed to advise the president on matters relating to Cuba.
● Oct 17, 1962
Photographic evidence of the missile sites are produced before EXCOMM.
● Oct 18, 1962
President John F. Kennedy attends a scheduled meeting with Soviet foreign minister Andrei Gromyko to confirm their actions regarding Cuba.
● Oct 19, 1962
EXCOMM suggests quarantining Cuba.
● Oct 20, 1962
Robert Kennedy, the Attorney General at the time gives EXCOMM's recommendation to President John F. Kennedy.
● Oct 22, 1962
President Kennedy gives a televised speech regarding the missiles in Cuba.
● Oct 23, 1962
Soviet ships on the way to Cuba stop 750 miles before the naval blockade of the US.
● Oct 24, 1962
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev refuses to remove the missiles placed in Cuba. Pope John XXIII tries to avert a war by passing a message to the embassies of both nations.
● Oct 25, 1962
President Kennedy increases the number of flights from two per day to two every hour to patrol Cuban airspace.
● Oct 26, 1962
The US discusses invasion plans to remove the warheads from Cuba. At the same time, Pope John XXIII's pleas to end the war for the sake of peace are published in every national newspaper.
● Oct 27, 1962
President Kennedy agrees to stop the invasion of Cuba.
● Oct 28, 1962
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agrees to remove the missiles, and a nuclear war is averted with the resolving of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Known as Black Saturday.
On Saturday October 27, 1962, the twelfth day of the Cuban missile crisis, President John F. Kennedy might have been thinking about that famous law's corollary: Murphy was an optimist. ... Khrushchev's letter the day before had conditioned the withdrawal of Soviet missiles solely on a U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba.
Cuban Missile Crisis Summary
Cuba had good diplomatic relations with USA, with President Fulgencio Batista allowing US-based industries to have cheap manufacturing facilities there. But all this changed after the overthrow of President Batista, and led to the revolution and reformation of Cuba by Fidel Castro.
Sensing that Fidel Castro would advocate communism instead of socialism, the US decided to overthrow Castro by a CIA-backed plan, called the Bay of Pigs. The mission involved sending Cuban exiles who received CIA training to enter through a pocket near an island called the Bay of Pigs. The mission backfired, with all the militants being either captured or executed. The Kennedy Administration took responsibility for this failed attempt. The Soviet Union persuaded Cuba to stock nuclear warheads to defend against a preemptive strike from the US. Thus, Cuba joined hands with its communist ally and refused any further negotiations with the US.
The missiles were aimed at Florida, which was 90 miles from Cuba. Various appeals to Cuba to remove the warheads failed. This led to a standoff between the Soviet Union and the US, with both parties refusing to budge, and Cuba stuck in the middle of it all. The upcoming sections summarize the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis, a confrontation which lasted for 13 days, and resolved at the behest of the cool-mindedness of two men - President John F. Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev.
Timeline
● Oct 15, 1962
A U-2 spy plane takes photographic evidence of medium-range missiles placed in Cuba.
● Oct 16, 1962
The Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM) was formed to advise the president on matters relating to Cuba.
● Oct 17, 1962
Photographic evidence of the missile sites are produced before EXCOMM.
● Oct 18, 1962
President John F. Kennedy attends a scheduled meeting with Soviet foreign minister Andrei Gromyko to confirm their actions regarding Cuba.
● Oct 19, 1962
EXCOMM suggests quarantining Cuba.
● Oct 20, 1962
Robert Kennedy, the Attorney General at the time gives EXCOMM's recommendation to President John F. Kennedy.
● Oct 22, 1962
President Kennedy gives a televised speech regarding the missiles in Cuba.
● Oct 23, 1962
Soviet ships on the way to Cuba stop 750 miles before the naval blockade of the US.
● Oct 24, 1962
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev refuses to remove the missiles placed in Cuba. Pope John XXIII tries to avert a war by passing a message to the embassies of both nations.
● Oct 25, 1962
President Kennedy increases the number of flights from two per day to two every hour to patrol Cuban airspace.
● Oct 26, 1962
The US discusses invasion plans to remove the warheads from Cuba. At the same time, Pope John XXIII's pleas to end the war for the sake of peace are published in every national newspaper.
● Oct 27, 1962
President Kennedy agrees to stop the invasion of Cuba.
● Oct 28, 1962
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agrees to remove the missiles, and a nuclear war is averted with the resolving of the Cuban Missile Crisis.