13Days

I need some help from my advisors. Soviet General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev has taken an open and oppositional stand against the United States since taking over from Joseph Stalin in the 1950s. The Soviets have been brutal in Hungary, launched an ICBM, and shot down a U-2 plane (sure it was taking control of military installations, but that’s a different story). Khrushchev has stated that he will “bury” the US (loosely translated), he has repeatedly interrupted the United Nations with his shouting, and he has even taken off his shoe and banged it on a desk in the UN. I am a new President, and obviously the Bay of Pigs incident doesn’t help my international standing with anyone, especially Khrushchev. I know that Castro and Khrushchev have a very freindly relationship, but we have recently had a decent relationship with Cuba. How should I approach dealing with this guy? How much should I worry about Cuba? Should I be worried about an attack on the US? EXCOMM 4 **: Kennedy should just tell the people that there is a situation growing in Cuba and troops have been assembled to prevent an attack; if Kennedy doesn't tell the whole story, the people might think he's a liar; if Kennedy tells the people about the missles, the US would go into panic** ||
 * < ** JFK **: How should I approach dealing with this guy? How much should I worry about Cuba? Should I be worried about an attack on the US?
 * excomm 2 **: We should try to create a compromise with Cuba, because they could bomb the US since they are so close and they could be harmful with the backing of the Soviet Union.
 * EXCOMM 4 **: The US and the Soviet Union should reach an agreement to back out of Cuba in return that the US will not attack.
 * ExComm1 **: It would take minutes for a nuclear missle to launch and they could easily blow us up.
 * excomm3 **: You shouldn't be too worried yet. You should make a compromise to prevent a nuclear war. You should worry about cuba because they are good friends with the USSR and they can put weapons there. They probably won't attack us soon.
 * Excomm 6 **: We should try to reach an agreement with him so that violence will not be needed. We should worry about Cuba quite a lot because they may have nuclear weapons that could harm the U.S.
 * excomm3 **: We can make a compromise with him, or assassinate him.
 * Excomm 5 **: I think that we should worry about Cuba alot because tension is so high and still building. Cuba is such a short distance from the US they could set up a Crucial misslie base tha could easily bomb the US. I think we Should try negotiateing
 * excomm 2 **: We should make a deal with Kruschev and allow for him to spread communism in the eastern hemisphere, but disallow him to influence the western hemisphere & western europe
 * JFK **: There are many possible ideas - an air strike, an invasion of mainland Cuba, a naval blockade, a diplomatic protest in the United Nations, and other ideas. I know this decision will be extremely crucial for the safety of Americans and the world in general. What benefits and challenges do the options present, and which option should I take?
 * excomm3 **: A naval blockade wouldn't prevent an attack on the USA if they already have missiles. We probably shouldn't start a war by invading Cuba or bombing Cuba. They have the USSR on their side and if we get in a war with the USSR would start a world war. We should compromise to prevent any possible war.
 * EXCOMM 4 **: Diplomatic protest wouldn't work; a naval blockade wouldn't work because the Cubans could destroy the ships; a more reasonable idea is to invade Cuba and take control of the missle lauch sites
 * Excomm 5 **: We should try to Negotiate peace because by doing a naval blockade or an airstrike or engaging in any violence agaist Cuba would get the USSR involed and it could result in a neuclear war because we now know that the USSR posses nueclear weapons
 * Excomm 6 **: We should do an airstrike so that we can take out the missiles. Even though the USSR may be allies of Cuba, the U.S. can get their own allies to help them. Or we can drop an a-bomb on Cuba and Russia, it would be much easier so there is less resistance.
 * ExComm1 **: Naval blockade, because it will cut off of their war supplies. But they would still have the missles from before.
 * excomm 2 **: I think we should have a naval blockade because it will cut the Cubans off from resources. An invasion will cost many lives and nuking them will just start a nuclear war.
 * JFK **: Do I tell the public of the evidence of Soviet missiles in Cuba and the possibility that U.S. ships will be enforcing a quarantine of Cuba? How much do I tell them? Or should I just stay quiet?
 * ExComm1 **: Only tell them about Cuba being armed, but not about the missles. Tell them about the quarantine and don't tell them about the possibility of nuclear war.
 * excomm3 **: Dont tell them anything because if we tell them something they will want to know more and if we tell them everything people will freak out.
 * excomm 2 **: We should only tell them the part that we have evidence that Cuba is armed, but we are taking all precautions to prevent a nuclear war.
 * Excomm 5 **: I think that we should limit the story and maybe say that there is evidence of missiles but no real hard proof that there are so we are tking the necissary precautions incase there are acctually missiles.
 * OUR RESPONSE
 * We should try to create a compromise with Cuba, because they could bomb the US since they are so close and they could be harmful with the backing of the Soviet Union. We should make a deal with Kruschev and allow for him to spread communism in the eastern hemisphere, but disallow him to influence the western hemisphere & western europe. **
 * We should try to create a compromise with Cuba, because they could bomb the US since they are so close and they could be harmful with the backing of the Soviet Union. We should make a deal with Kruschev and allow for him to spread communism in the eastern hemisphere, but disallow him to influence the western hemisphere & western europe. **

DAYS 1-3 Tuesday, October 16 to Thursday, October 18 There are many possible ideas - an air strike, an invasion of mainland Cuba, a naval blockade, a diplomatic protest in the United Nations, and other ideas. I know this decision will be extremely crucial for the safety of Americans and the world in general. What benefits and challenges do the options present, and which option should I take?
 * I have just seen pictures that show Russian missile launchers located on the island of Cuba, 90 miles from our border. The launchers could be fitted with nuclear warheads for offensive strikes on U.S. sites as far away as Montana. I need some help in deciding what we should do about these missiles in Cuba. I don’t think I can handle the pressure alone.

 **OUR RESPONSE AND REASON
 * I think we should have a naval blockade because it will cut the Cubans off from resources. An invasion will cost many lives and nuking them will just start a nuclear war. **

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS
 * They did a naval blockade but instead of making a military action they called it a naval quarintime.**

DAY 4 - 7- Friday, October 19 to Monday, October 22
 * The Washington press corps has found out that something strange and important is going on. We are working well into the night, and I had to leave a planned trip to Chicago due to “the flu” (wink wink). I have placed the military on full alert, and I have notified our allies that there is some serious trouble brewing with the Soviets.Congress, which is on recess, has been alerted and party leaders are becoming aware of the situation. Nearly 200,000 American troops have been moved to Key West, Florida - the largest invasion force ever assembled on American soil. The news is going to break sooner or later, so I need some more advice. Do I tell the public of the evidence of Soviet missiles in Cuba and the possibility that U.S. ships will be enforcing a quarantine of Cuba? How much do I tell them? Or should I just stay quiet?

 **OUR RESPONSE AND REASON
 * We should only tell them the part that we have evidence that Cuba is armed, but we are taking all precautions to prevent a nuclear war. **

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS
 * JFK explains everything to the press.**

DAY 8 - 9 Tuesday, October 23 to Wednesday, October 24
 * We have put the quarantine into effect and told the Soviet Union of our intentions to stop any and all Soviet ships from entering Cuba. Cuba has bulked up its military along the coasts in preparation for a possible invasion and called the U.S. a bully at the United Nations. Moscow is accusing the U.S. of piracy. A Soviet ship is approaching the quarantine line and attempts to break through the quarantine. What should we do about the oncoming ship, and why?

 **OUR RESPONSE AND REASON
 * We should wait on it but be prepared for the worst to come.**

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS
 * We do nothing and the ship turns around and leaves.

We also have evidence that the Soviets are installing actual weapons that will be able to fire on the U.S. in a matter of days. My decision is now a matter of peace or war. Should I give the order to fire weapons on the existing missile sites, set an ultimatum for removal of the missiles, destroy Soviet ships in the Caribbean, send troops to Cuba, move nuclear subs toward the USSR, or attempt any further means of peaceful diplomacy? I need some help, EXCOMM!

 **OUR RESPONSE AND REASON

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS

DAY 10-12- Thursday, October 25 to Saturday, October 27 ** Proceedings are becoming heated at the United Nations. Our delegate to the UN has openly challenged the Soviet Union about the missiles, without getting a desired response. Tensions remain high between the two countries. Nikita Khrushchev and the Soviets have made two offers - the first is to remove the missiles from Cuba in exchange for no American invasion of Cuba, and the second demands U.S. removal of missiles from Turkey in return for the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba. What do you do in this situation - accept either of the offers, make a counter offer, or demand immediate removal or else troops and weapons will be deployed?

 **OUR RESPONSE AND REASON

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS

DAY 13 - Sunday, October 28 ** It’s over! Thanks for your help. We were close to a big problem, weren’t we? Hopefully we all learned something about decision making and not jumping to do something without considering all options! What did we learn from this crisis? ||