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

Aaron Lopez

A00527589

The Cold War: The Cuban Missile Crisis

During the 1960’s, the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union was experiencing the most tension in its history. Following the strategic placement of Intercontinental ballistic missiles on the country of Cuba by the Soviet Union, President Kennedy was treading precarious waters and knew that this type of military action could not go unchecked. With his swift action and decisive response to what became known as The Cuban Missile Crisis, the Kennedy Administration was able to successfully calm Cold War tensions. One of the first and most instrumental action taken by the Kennedy Administration that was a critical step to easing Cold War tensions was the naval blockade that was ordered to be put in place by Kennedy. Following the debacle of the Bay of Pigs, the Kennedy Administration was out to reestablish the United States as a strong and unwavering military power. Immediately following the instillation of Soviet missiles on Cuban Soil, Kennedy commanded the American Navy to set up a fleet of ships to hinder any further advancement of Soviet artillery onto Cuban Soil.[footnoteRef:1] While this may seem rather obsolete, this truly set the tone of the United States as the Cold War progressed into the mid-1960’s. Another very critical move by the Kennedy Administration that helped to ease Soviet tension was the off-the-record discussions that JFK’s brother Robert Kennedy had with Soviet ambassadors.[footnoteRef:2] Following the Bay of Pigs incident, the United States was seen as a rather soft and indecisive military power and while the suggestions of Robert Kennedy may have not been entirely true, he worked to paint the United States as a very aggressive and decisive military power that was not to be tested. While each of these previous actions were invaluable in the oppression of Soviet tension during the Cold War, one of the most elementary yet effective solutions implemented was the installation of the telephone “hot line” between the Soviet Union and the United States. With this open line of communication, it was exponentially easier for the Kennedy Administration and any administration following Kennedy to swiftly and efficiently identify and manage any issues between the Soviet Union and the United States before it escalates into another issue like the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War.[footnoteRef:3] [1: ] [2: ] [3: ]