Cold War: Did the Kennedy administration's handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis calm Cold War tensions? 3 pages -Due 24hrs

The Cold War: Cuban Missile Crisis

Following the end of World War 2, the United States began to fall back into the normal policies of avoiding any types of commitments with allied nations that would possibly lead to the commitment of America troops overseas. While this would be the most favorable foreign policy, with the old superpowers of Great Britain and France now seemingly unable to handle the load as the policemen of the World, The United States knew that it had to take a heavier role in foreign affairs. With isolationism no longer an option, the United States look toward a bigger role in containing what was thought to be the most crucial threat to Europe following World War 2, the spread of Communism. Following the deterioration of US and Soviet relations, the United States was thrust into a climate of fear, espionage, and secrecy. As suspicion of Communist sympathizers in the United States grew, a number of tactics and state departments would be introduced and implemented to help in the containment of Communism both at home and abroad. With the successful detonation of a nuclear weapon by the Soviet Union in August of 1949 and the execution of 2 alleged American citizens that had fed the Soviet information on the United States’ Nuclear technology, an all-out nuclear arms race began to unfold between the United States and the Soviet Union. With all of this in play, the United States was constantly on edge and on the look-out for the potential spread of communist to other countries in what would become known as the Domino Effect. With the victory of the communist party in China, the United States was more fearful of the effects and spread of Communism as ever before, and with the secret instillation of Soviet missile defense systems in Cuba that gave the Soviets the capability to engage the United States at any time, the Cold War began. While no actual military engagement occurred, these events acted as catalysts in developing a very restless, paranoid, and reactive society within the United States for years to come.