To Extent Was the Cuban Missile Crisis the Result of America Policy Towards the Cuban Revolution - Essay Example

No: Institute’s To what extent was the Cuban Missile Crisis the result of U.S. policy towards the Cuban Revolution? Brief The history and the historians have witnessed number of revolutions since inception of world. Some of the revolutions have changed the course of history. The Cuban Revolution is not less than that. The confrontation between the two giants of the world lasted 13 days. It is perhaps one of the major confrontations between the USSR and the Cuba on one side and the USA on the other side in the year 1962. The crises were come to such an impasse where the rival groups come closer to the nuclear war (Gibson 119). It is the history of the Americans to topple down those governments who are not come to their terms. In a series of such move, the world had witnessed Americans attempt to throw out the Cuban Regime by promoting unhealthy and provocative political activities. To counter such move and to deter USA, the then USSR President Khrushchev in the year 1962 suggested installation of Soviet nuclear missiles at a strategic location of Cuban territories. The secret efforts of the USSR and the Cuba with reference to the installation of medium range, intermediate range and the ballistic nuclear missiles in Cuba was unearthed by US U-2 aircraft (Franklin 86). Upon noticing mentioned activities, the US government categorically announced that it will not allow offensive gadgets to be delivered to Cuba. It demanded the USSR to destroy base of missile already constructed or under construction. The USSR had done it with a little heart that the other side would follow the suit. If not agreed by the USSR, then the only option left was confrontation to resolve the issue (Blight, et al 54). To avert the confrontation between the said governments, an agreement was signed by the UN General Secretary Mr. U Thant, US President Mr. John F. Kennedy and the President of USSR Mr. Khrushchev. According to that agreement USSR has to abolish all missile bases in Cuba provided that the Americans would assure not to invade Cuba. By way of this agreement the confrontation ended on October 28, 1962. The USA was afraid of the expansion of the communism in other parts of the world in general and in the Latin Americans States in specific. With this agreement it had stopped the influence of the USSR in Latin American States (Blight, et al 69). Balance of Power A rat race had begun between the two mighty States in having the number of missiles to create an edge over other. The figures of missiles of either side from the analytical reports published in the war journals, confirms the preparation of missiles of all sorts to establish their supremacy (George 134). Deployment of missiles The aims of USSR to deploy missiles in Cuba to bring the West Berlin, the Americans, the British and the French controlled democracies under ambit of Communist East Germany. The USSR’s intention was to use East Germany in case Americans did nothing over the missile deployments in Cuba (Frankel 114). The focus of Khrushchev was understandable due to its strategic importance amongst the European Community, recognized by the then American President as per their statement, "The advantage is, from Khrushchevs point of view, he takes a great chance but there are quite some rewards to it”. The then American Air Force Chief Lemay submitted a pre-invasion plan to the Kennedy government in September 1962 to mount the pressure on Cuban government (George 137). Seriousness In view the seriousness of the Americans bombing plan, the Cuban President reported this matter to the UN General Assembly with these apprehensions "If we are attacked, we will defend ourselves”. No doubt the Cuban had the capabilities and the capacities to counter any attack from the USA in an effective manner if we take into account the range of installed medium, intermediate and ballistic missiles having close access to the USA territories. Therefore the Americans keep an eye on the movement of arsenal weapons within the Cuba (Blight, et al 82). Photographic interpretation On October 15, 1962 was an important event in the history of American CIA. Its subordinate office, the National Photographic Interpretation Center revisited the U-2 photographs wherein medium range of ballistic missiles was identified. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara was briefed on the development that took place. The next morning, President was apprised of U-2 photographs by the CIA along with its analytical report. Taking into account the gravity of the situation, Kennedy called a meeting of National Security Council besides five other key advisers for threadbare discussions (Frankel 116). Operational Plans The proposed meeting convened to consider two Operational Plans. The participants of the meeting were in favor of effective invasion on Cuba by their Armed forces. However, OPLAN 312 primarily focused on an Air Force strikes and naval carrier operations having enough flexibility to do anything whatever required that ranges from individual missile to provide air support (Haydon 49). Crisis After a threadbare discussions and analysis, the President had come to the conclusion that only an invasion could be helpful in removing the missiles from Cuba. The advisors of the view about mounting of military and diplomatic pressure on the Cuba could create a win-win situation (Pressman 97). To implement the decided strategy, he ordered the low lying flights over the island after every two hours. Further, he ordered the crash program to be installed a civil government in Cuba provided their operations would be successful. Finding no response from the USSR, the US found no reasons to believe otherwise. The USA prepared to nuclear strike on the Soviet Union if it responded militarily (Franklin 91). Secret dialogue On October 26, John A. Scali of ABC News tried to use his good relationship with the high profile friends at the State Department to find out a diplomatic solution to avoid the expected war. He pinpoints the intention of USSR to remove the weapons under the UN supervision (Haydon 58). Moreover, the Castro Administration would announce in public that her government would not allow such weapons in future. In exchange of public statement by the US Administration that it would never invade Cuba, the US Administration responded it to Castro through Brazilian government that the US had no intention to invade their country provided the missiles were removed (Blight, et al 77). Aggression Peaceful countries around the globe were of the opinion that direct aggression against Cuba amounts to beginning of nuclear war. Therefore, the Americans should refrain from it, otherwise it would face moral, legal and political consequences (Frankel 119). Pact The pact that was signed by the incumbents of two countries to strengthen the position of Castro in Cuba, who guaranteed their fellow citizens that the USA would not ruin the sovereignty of her country. As a pressure mounting measures, USSR could place the missiles in Cuba so that the American Administration could remove the missiles from Turkey and Italy. The removal of Jupiter missiles from NATO bases located in Italy and Turkey was not made public at this critical juncture, thus Khrushchev becomes weakened (George 159). The general perception was that the American President Kennedy had won the battle between the two mighty powers of the world. The President Khrushchev had been humiliated. However, both the giants namely Kennedy and Khrushchev took calculated measures to come in conflict despite mounting pressures on their respective governments. That is the reason why the Khrushchev government found no where following next two years (George 166). Embarrassment The compromise between the USA and the USSR put the USSR and the President of USSR in an embarrassing position on account of secret deal between the Kennedy and the Khrushchev with regard to the withdrawal of US missiles from Italy and Turkey. The Soviets were upset from the circumstances that had arisen out from the secret deal. The Khrushchev government lost its governance within a span of two years. According to Dobrynin, the top notch of USSR took it as a serious blow to its prestige and humiliation in the comity of nations (Frankel 122). Solo decision Historian of repute and adviser to John F. Kennedy, Mr. Arthur in an interview told National Public Radio on October 16, 2002 that Castro had no intention to keep missiles; instead USSR pressurized Castro to install it in its administrative jurisdiction. The Castro was not completely satisfied with the idea of Cuban National Directorate of Revolution to accept it just to protect the Cuban interest from the Americans and its allies (Gibson 127). The decision of withdrawals of missiles from the Cuba was the sole decision of Khrushchev that made Castro angry as he was not consulted by the USSR. In the early 1992, it comes to the notice of Cubans that Soviet forces received tactical nuclear warheads for their artillery rockets and Il-28 bombers. To take advantage of it, Castro announced that he would be using the left over war weapons if attacked by the USA in spite of the fact that the Cuba would receive irreparable damages (Gibson 132). Effect of Cuban Revolution The world had witnessed Cuban Revolution as an armed revolution led by Castro that ended up overthrowing the then dictator Fulgencio Batista. The revolution of Cuba emanates in the struggle against Spanish colonialism, which intensified during the course of 19th century. In the year 1953, number of young militants attacked the barracks housed in Santiago. The aims of militants were to disarm the enemy and to arm their people for their effective participation in the armed revolution. The objectives of this armed revolution were to transform the Cuba’s political, economic and social system and to end up the foreign aggression once and for all (Frankel 129). Conclusion All the historians of the globe are of the considered opinion that Cuban revolution was a turning point in recent history. The placement of Castro, Cuba has become an important stakeholder amongst the power brokers of the world. The failure of Castro regime in overthrowing the then governments in Venezuela, Guatemala and Bolivia put the country in isolation from the rest of the world. The major impact of the revolution was that the voices of Cubans were not heard by the rest of the world at the time of commemoration of their 50th anniversary of the revolution. The pressure of public on Cuba to talk to the rest of the world gained momentum (Pressman 92). The world observed superior landmark in the shape of Agrarian Reforms Act. By way of this act the Cuban government eliminated large size of estates through the nationalization. The assets over and above four hundred and twenty hectares were nationalized and its ownership conferred to the thousands of landless peasants or leaseholders. After taking over the possession of big size estates, the government nationalized corporate entities. The decision of taking over the land and the public sector enterprises jolted the economy of Cuba. The said action of Castro government compelled the American administration to boycott the Cuba. Further, the unpopular decisions of the government forced businessmen and other segments of the civil society to leave the country and migrated to the United States of America. Works Cited Blight, James G., Allyn, Bruce J. and Welch, David A. Cuba on the Brink: Castro, the Missile Crisis, and the Soviet Collapse; [revised for the Fortieth Anniversary]. 2nd ed. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002. Frankel, M. High Noon in the Cold War: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. New York: Ballantine Books, 2004. Franklin, J. Cuba and the United States: A Chronological History. Melbourne: Ocean Press, 1997. George, Alice L. Awaiting Armageddon: How Americans Faced the Cuban Missile Crisis. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2003. Gibson, David R. Talk at the Brink: Deliberation and Decision during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2012.  Haydon, Peter T. "The Cuban Missile Crisis." Journal of Conflict Studies 17.2 (1997). Pressman, J. "September Statements, October Missiles, November Elections: Domestic Politics, Foreign-Policy Making, and the Cuban Missile Crisis". Security Studies 10(3) (2001): 80–114. Read More