Essay - Cuban Missile Crisis the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962...

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 is widely regarded as the most dangerous moment ***** the Cold War, and one which, "brought ***** world to the brink of ***** unthinkable" (Blight & Welch, 315). Although the successful resolution of ***** crisis led to an immediate improvement in relationship between the superpowers, ********** focussed ***** *****'s attention on the issues surrounding nuclear capability and deterrence, it also ***** to ***** development of a new method of 'crisis management' known ***** brinkmanship. This diplomatic theory, which involves using the threat of war in order ***** coerce an opponent into backing down, would have less celebrated consequences for America in the decades that followed ***** Cuban crisis.

On October 16th, two days after *****n surveillance planes had discovered Soviet medium-range missiles being installed in Cuba, the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (ExCom) met to plan a strategy ***** ***** resolve, what the American government regarded as, a direct threat to its security. President Kennedy favored some form ***** military action, and the chosen strategy was to initiate a blockade that would prevent any further missiles from reaching *****, accompanied by demands for the removal of all existing *****. This ***** an astute decision by ***** President as, in addition to demonstrating America's ability and willingness to use ***** force, it also allowed the Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, ***** time and opportunity to back down. An added benefit was that, if ***** then continued with his course ***** actions, then he would be seen as responsible for the escalation of ***** crisis. President Kennedy *****, in effect, issued the Soviet ***** with an ultimatum which *****fered a 'last clear chance' to avoid the conflict spiraling into a confrontation which would end in a nuclear war

*****, *****itially, appearing unwilling to accept America's terms, Khrushchev eventually agreed ***** remove all missiles from Cuba, in return for the removal of ***** military ***** and America's removal of similar missiles from Turkey. On ***** 28th 1962, President ***** announced ***** great diplomatic victory, which although involving the taking of enormous risks, was responsible for increasing his political prestige ***** public popularity. Khrushchev, however, faired ***** well, and ***** sharing in the credit for resolving such a dangerous ***** sensitive *****, his *****d withdrawal from ***** was seen as a f*****ilure by m***** within ***** government and is considered to have been instrumental in ***** [Khrushchev] removal from office two years later.

In addition ***** the significant, and differing, effects upon the political careers of the ***** leaders, the events and outcome of the Cuban M*****sile Crisis ***** exerted enormous influence upon subsequent relationships between ***** superpowers. Undoubtedly the ***** fundamental, and perhaps most crucial, was the setting up of a 'hot line' between the ***** ***** the Soviet premiers. Although ***** Cuban Missile Crisis ***** successfully resolved, the ***** ***** written correspondence and diplomatic aides to conduct negotiations allowed too much ***** ***** costly and ***** misunderstandings, whereas the ***** line'