Causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis
The United States of America and Soviet Union’s confrontation of October 1962, known as the Cuban Missile Crisis represented the most dangerous period of the “Cold War”. The series of events leading up to the “crisis” brought the world to the edge of nuclear destruction. ... The Cuban Missile Crisis was a result of misunderstandings between the United States, the Soviet Union and Cuba exaggerated by mis-trust over recent global conflicts, rather than Soviet Military aggression or relations portrayed by American interests. This definition of the “crisis” is too simplistic and self serving to American interests. Only by looking at the interactions between the Americans; Soviets and Cubans over a longer time horizon, can one understand the motivations that led to the crisis. The decisions of each of the three countries, prior to and during the crisis were shaped by misinformation, misjudgement and miscalculations. ... 3 The classic definition of the “crisis” had it originating with the discovery of the indisputable proof that the Soviet Union had installed medium and intermediate range nuclear missiles in Cuba on October 16, 1962. ... The “crisis” ended with the Soviet premier Nakita Khrushchev’s decision to withdraw the missiles on October 28. ... These corporations brought in a large amount of revenue for American companies, while most Cuban people lived in poverty. ... Cuban government believed the United States intended to invade Cuba in a effort to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro. ... (Invasion by Cuban Exiles. ... The United States also sponsored covert operations in Cuba designed to foment dissension amongst Cuban people with the goal to undermine the government of Fidel Castro. ... Kennedy was further reluctant to commit US forces to support The Bay of Pigs invasion, as The CIA predicted some support by 1/5 of the Cuban people to the American effort, but this support was not realized. ... Since The Bay of Pigs, US- Soviets were moving quickly to another crisis. Kennedy knew that he only showed limited capability and strength during the Berlin crisis.