Introduction
The Cold War is a period in world history from 1946 to 1989, characterized by the confrontation of two economic and political superpowers, the USSR and the United States. Both countries aspired to world domination and the status of the most mighty power in the world. The United States’ goal was bringing democracy to other countries and contribute to the preservation and development of the capitalist principle. The USSR, a socialist state, sought to strengthen social and economic equality in different parts of the world. The clash of interests of the two superpowers has led to numerous conflicts. The Cuban missile crisis resulted from a prolonged confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States.
Causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis
In general, until the early 60-s of the XX century, bilateral relations with Cuba developed relatively formally. Until the victory of the 1959 revolution, Cuba was steadily in the orbit of the geopolitical interests of the United States. This was primarily due to its advantageous position in the center of the Caribbean and the significant resource potential of the island. Having the formal status of an independent state, Cuba has been oriented towards the United States since the beginning of the century. Under these conditions, the United States consolidated its influence through the so-called “Platt Amendment” included in the Cuban Constitution. According to the amendment, the United States received the right of direct military intervention in the internal affairs of the Cuban state if Washington considers that the stability of the country is under threat.
Immediately after the revolution in Cuba in 1959, neither Fidel Castro nor his associates had any contacts with the Soviet Union or other socialist states. Moreover, they did not even have basic knowledge about Marxism-Leninism and the communist doctrine. During his struggle with the regime of Fulgencio Batista in the 1950s, Castro several times appealed to Moscow for military assistance but was refused. Moscow was skeptical about the leader of the Cuban revolutionaries and the very prospects of a revolution in Cuba. The US authorities openly met the Cuban revolution with hostility.
After President Eisenhower refused to meet with Castro, specific measures were taken to nationalize telephone, electric companies, and various factories. All branches of North American banks owned by US citizens were also nationalized. In response, the United States stopped supplying oil to Cuba and buying its sugar, although a long-term purchase agreement was in effect. By that time, the Cuban government had already established diplomatic relations with the USSR, so, responding to a request for assistance, the USSR sent tankers with oil and organized purchases of Cuban sugar. It can be considered that Cuba became the first country that chose the communist path without significant military or political interference from the USSR.
In 1961, the United States began deploying medium-range missiles with 2,400 km near Izmir in Turkey, which directly threatened the European part of the Soviet Union, reaching Moscow. President Kennedy considered the strategic importance of these missiles to be limited since submarines armed with ballistic missiles could cover the same territory, having an advantage in stealth and firepower. Nevertheless, in the late 1950-s, medium-range missiles were technologically superior to intercontinental ballistic missiles, which at that time could not constantly be on combat duty. Another advantage of medium-range missiles is the short flight time – less than 10 minutes. Soviet strategists realized that it was possible to achieve some nuclear parity by placing missiles in Cuba effectively. The placement of missiles was supposed to balance the opponents’ forces and, at the same time, protect the Island of Freedom from a possible invasion.
After discovering Soviet missiles in Cuba, Kennedy announced a military blockade of Cuba on October 24, and all troops were put on alert. However, according to international law, the embargo is an act of war. In this regard, when discussing such an option, there were concerns about the reaction of the Soviet Union and the world community. Relations between the United States and the USSR were heated to the limit, and the world was almost on the verge of a nuclear war. The whole world watched with bated breath how the conflict would be resolved.
Resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis
After the official start of the blockade, Khrushchev and Kennedy entered into a “written” skirmish. They took each other’s actions as an insult to their country and themselves personally. The head of the USSR considered the presence of American ships near Cuba “piracy” and wrote about it in his letters to the American president. US representatives publicly accused the Soviet Union of creating a conflict situation. Nevertheless, the countries’ heads were able to agree and find a compromise, and from October 29 to the end of November, American and Soviet missiles were sent back to their territories.
The Cuban Crisis as a Vivid Example of Hostility Between the United States and the USSR
It is difficult to overestimate the historical significance of the Cuban crisis. The crisis became a turning point in the “nuclear race,” and Soviet and American diplomacy initiated “détente” in the Cold War. After the Cuban missile crisis, the first international treaties regulating and restricting the accumulation, testing, and use of weapons of mass destruction were signed. The excitement on the verge of panic in the press gave rise to a powerful anti-war movement in Western society, which peaked in the 1960-s–1970-s. Although the Cuban missile crisis ended peacefully, there is no denying that this incident was “the most dangerous episode” of the Cold War (Saradzhyan & Saradzhyan, 2017, p. 99). This event gave rise to further reflections on the fate of the world. Much became clear during numerous conferences with Soviet, Cuban, and American participants of those events.
The decisions made by the three countries before and during the crisis were influenced by incorrect information, incorrect estimates, and inaccurate calculations that distorted the meaning of events. The Soviet and Cuban leaders were confident that the US army would invade Cuba soon. At the same time, after the failure of the operation in the Bay of Pigs, Kennedy’s administration had no such intentions. In October 1962, Soviet nuclear warheads were already in Cuba, and at the time of the highest intensity of the crisis, they were delivered from storage sites to deployment sites. However, the CIA reported that there were no nuclear weapons on the island yet. The Soviet Union was sure that nuclear weapons could be delivered to Cuba secretly, and the United States would not react in any way when its deployment became known.
Thus, it becomes evident that in many respects, the Cuban crisis was the result of hostility, distrust, and the desire to take a dominant place in the world. The nuclear confrontation between the United States and the USSR has created a threat to the whole world’s existence, which is unacceptable. A nuclear war would put an end to the future for all humanity. The fact that it was avoided is one of the “greatest blessings” in the history of the world (Yuxi, 2021, p. 111). The Cuban missile crisis was as bitter but valuable a lesson for humanity as Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Tens of thousands died then, but the whole world realized the horror of a nuclear catastrophe, and their death saved millions in the future.
References
Saradzhyan, K., & Saradzhyan, S. (2017). Was the Cuban missile crisis the most dangerous episode of the Cold War?. 21st Century, 1(20), 97-105.
Yuxi, L. (2021). Behavioral Logic of USSR and USA in the Cuban missile crisis: Idea and Interest Perspectives. Journal of Frontiers of Society, Science and Technology, 1(3), 107-111.