• Home Page
  • Causes And Failures Of The Cuban Missile Crisis

Causes And Failures Of The Cuban Missile Crisis

Great Essays
Show More
The Cuban Missile Crisis is an intelligence failure, which almost led to a global nuclear war. This paper examines few of the intelligence failures prior to the crisis.
The decision maker failures and Intelligence Community (IC) failures laid the groundwork for the Cuban Missile Crisis. Some of the decision maker failures are President John F Kennedy policy of communism containment, prior administration failure that failed to react to the threat and passed the Cuban problem to his successor. Some of the Intelligence Community failures are success of Soviet Deception, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) cautious approach after Bay of Pigs. Throughout the paper the failures will be discussed and analyzed in further detail.

The Cuban Missile …show more content…
Instead of analyzing the failures of Bay of Pigs, he continued with the same approach for the Operation Mongoose. Source: John F. Kennedy Notes for an address on the containment of Communism, ca. August 12, 1952. (Gilder & Lehrman, 1952)

HUMINT and COMINT under Kennedy failed to confirm the true intentions of Soviet Union towards Cuba. It was also a failure on Kennedy’s part not to understand the point of view of the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Kennedy assumed that it was possible to compromise with Khrushchev, as he had been liberalizing Soviet Union by abandoning Stalinism. Kennedy proposed several meetings with Khrushchev to discuss arms control .The Soviet Union saw the proposal as a sign of weakness. The meeting between the two leaders in Vienna also left an impression on Khrushchev that Kennedy was not properly informed by his intelligence about what was really happening in Cuba. The IC should have updated Kennedy with the true intentions of Soviet Union so as to prevent the situation being escalated into a …show more content…
The purpose was to overthrow Fidel Castro’s communist rule of Cuba. The whole operation was based on the assumption that the Cubans would welcome an invasion. The CIA completely failed to successfully execute the operation. The failure of Big of pigs had several ripple effects. It put fear in Castro, causing him to take help from U.S.S.R, which planned to establish military bases in Cuba. After the failure of Bay of Pigs the CIA had a cautious approach in gathering intelligence about Cuba and the Soviet Union’s relationship. This was visible during the Operation Mongoose, which was again designed to over throw Fidel Castro. Operation Mongoose once again failed to achieve what Bay of Pigs failed to do. During the operation SIGINT and HUMINT failed to confirm the reports that indicated the arms shipments from the Soviet Union to Cuba. IC should have verified the information and taken preventative measures to stop the arms shipment. This could have averted or prevented the

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Apollo 11
    • 1036 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Apollo 11

    Fidel Castro had allowed for Soviet nuclear missile sites to be placed in Cuba. It wasn’t long before the United States realized the situation in Cuba. Kennedy along with his advisors made the decision to “Quarantine” Cuba. This quarantine would allow for them to disable the continuation of the building of the missile sites while not being in a state of war. Kennedy went on to give a National public announcement over the situation in Cuba, in this announcement kennedy said “It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union.”. The following day the United States was met with a message from the Soviets, to include the removal of the Jupiter missiles from Turkey or there would be no agreement between the two. The decision was made to provide steps for the removal of the Cuban missiles under the supervision of the United States for they would soon be removing the Jupiter…

    • 1036 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Kennedy And The Cold War Essay
    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Kennedy And The Cold War Essay

    The first discussion and planning for the Bay of Pig 's invasion were formally initiated during the Eisenhower administration and put into motion. The operation that Eisenhower had put into motion was unstoppable even after Kennedy had taken office. The purpose of the military style invasion was to kill Fidel Castro, the…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    How Did J. F Kennedy Focus On Jfk Foreign Policy
    • 1080 Words
    • 5 Pages

    How Did J. F Kennedy Focus On Jfk Foreign Policy

    The Cuban Missile Crisis that occurred in 1962 was a serious confrontation between the United States of America and the Soviet Union (Len, 3). This crisis was going to mark the climax of the Cold War as the Soviet Union deployed the use of nuclear missiles to protect further attack on Cuba by the US. The president of the United States of America, John Kennedy, strongly opposed the launching of missiles in Cuba, and tried all means possible to stop its progress. While some of his advisors suggested war against Soviet Union, John Kennedy chose to go the diplomatic way in establishing negotiations with Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet leader. The focus of this paper is to examine the roles played by the personality and actions of the US President during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and to show how this event influenced the foreign policies in America through J.F Kennedy.…

    • 1080 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Cuban Missile Crisis Impact
    • 1221 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Cuban Missile Crisis Impact

    According to foreign policy analyst, Nina Harchigian (n.d.), all big emerging national powers share common concerns - free trade, economic growth, prevention of terrorism, and efforts to stymie nuclear proliferation - which would include the USSR. Finding such concerns within the USSR with communication with their national leader, the US President at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, John F. Kennedy, was able to come to a diplomatic resolution with the opposing nation. With effective use of diplomacy ultimately saving not only the US but the entire globe from nuclear war, there was a shift in international practice evident within the US foreign policy that can be largely attributed to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Examples of such a shift in the foreign policy include the newer alternative to threatening counterattack - diplomatic 'isolation ' of rogue states - and 'encouragement ' of an agreeable ideology rather than the 'containment ' of a disagreeable ideology (Shawn Grimsley, n.d.), which by nature concludes that diplomacy should be considered in higher priority than military action. While such evidence could be arguably a result of the Cold War as a whole, rather than the Cuban Missile Crisis alone, there was evidently a large increase in emphasis on the importance of quick and clear communication between nations,…

    • 1221 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Bay Of Pigs: The Presidency Of John F. Kennedy
    • 1877 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The Bay Of Pigs: The Presidency Of John F. Kennedy

    Kennedy exacerbated the tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States through the Bay of Pigs Invasion and his failed attempts to cover up his foibles. Kennedy approved a Central Intelligence Agency scheme planned under the Eisenhower Administration to employ Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro’s communist regime in Cuba, known as the “Bay of Pigs Invasion”. Both Kennedy and the nation’s reputation within the Soviet Union were extraordinarily hurt by the insulting invasion, as described by Alan Brinkley: “Outside the United States, the aftermath of the Bay of Pigs was a major blow to Kennedy’s international reputation, and nowhere more than in the Kremlin.”(Brinkley, 70). The Bay of Pigs Invasion further inflamed the ongoing tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union that continue to this day. This strain on the relationship between the two countries made it nearly impossible for future presidents to attempt to negotiate amends and maintain international trade with the Soviet Union. The Soviet-US relationship became irreparable from the Bay of Pigs Invasion. “The Soviet government, as well as its people, held irate attitudes towards president Kennedy and the United States of America because of the invasion and the dropping of bombs in Cuban cities.” (Brinkley, 71). The Soviet Union was not by any means amused by the Bay of Pigs Invasion, and in effect sent a letter to Kennedy; this stated that the US had in fact invaded upon Cuba. The Soviet’s knowledge of the invasion worried Americans, whose attitudes became increasingly more isolationist and neutral towards foreign affairs. Similarly, Kennedy inflamed tensions with the Soviet Union through lies. Kennedy attempted and failed to try and repair his international reputation from the damage the Bay of Pigs Invasion had caused by reaffirming the fact that he hadn’t invaded upon Cuba and by contradicting himself upon that. “‘I have previously stated, and I repeat now,…

    • 1877 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Cold War And The Cuban Missile Crisis
    • 725 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Cold War And The Cuban Missile Crisis

    One major reason for this success was that we thought outside the normal way of thinking and created a team of highly intelligent officials to aid President John F. Kennedy in navigating through this crisis. This group was called ExCom. The Soviet Union decided to install their nuclear missiles on the shores of Cuba, which is roughly 90 miles off U.S shores. President Kennedy’s first move, after much deliberation, was to issue a blockade against the island. ExCom along with the President had to carefully get the Soviets to remove their missiles from Cuba and avoid a possible nuclear war. Finally, after a little over two weeks the Soviet Union removed their missiles from Cuba in exchange for the U.S word to not invade…

    • 725 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Bay Of Pigs Operation Summary
    • 1215 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Bay Of Pigs Operation Summary

    Despite lacking technologically advanced intelligence platforms and capabilities, Castro is able to conduct successful intelligence operations informing him of a pending invasion. Castro utilizes human intelligence operatives within the U.S. and Guatemala to anticipate the planned invasion. Additionally, poor operational security on behalf of the CIA and U.S. government prevent secrecy during operation planning. Castro is able to conduct propaganda and ideological operations within Cuba in order to prevent and dismantle hostile groups within his country. Castro utilizes lessons learned and past U.S. involvement in the successful outcome of Operation PBSUCCESS in Guatemala. With this analysis, Castro is able to anticipate the method and tactics that an invading force may utilize. Intelligence for the CEF and CIA is a primary factor in the overall failure of the Bay of Pigs Operation. Despite having technologically advanced intelligence collection means, the majority of actionable intelligence for the CIA is human intelligence gathered from both refugee debriefs and operational resistance groups within Cuba. The CIA utilizes U2 and other intelligence platforms for geospatial intelligence planning of amphibious and air strike operations. One key failure is the misidentification of reefs as aquatic vegetation throughout amphibious landing sites within the Bay of Pigs. Additionally, following initial…

    • 1215 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Cuban Missile Crisis Compromise
    • 1826 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Cuban Missile Crisis Compromise

    The Cuban Missile Crisis marks one of the most important events not only in our country but also the United States. It is important that we define, rather explain, what the Cuban Missile Crisis was. The Cuban missile crisis was a so called “pivotal” moment in the cold war. The two great superpowers at the time (The United States and the Soviet Union) were at the brink of war. The cold war seemed to be tilting toward a nuclear war. The crisis was nothing more than a direct and dangerous confrontation. The entire world ran danger. Two great superpowers racing for superiority in every sense of the word. Economic, military, and scientific progress. One country standing…

    • 1826 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Cuban Missile Crisis Dbq Analysis
    • 586 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Cuban Missile Crisis Dbq Analysis

    President Kennedy replied to the letters sent by Khrushchev by ignoring the second letter. He said that if the Soviet Union removed the missiles in Cuba, the US would stop the blockade against Cuba and a promise to not invade Cuba. So he basically wants everything to go back to…

    • 586 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Why Did John F. Kennedy Use The Cuban Missile Crisis?
    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Why Did John F. Kennedy Use The Cuban Missile Crisis?

    The relations with the Soviet Union and Cuba greatly worsened, though poor relations in foreign affairs is far less detrimental than an all out war. All out war was imminent and definitely would occur in direct confrontation. In avoiding that looming threat, John F. Kennedy allowed these lesser issues to occur, if only to avoid the greater threat of World War III. A war between two powers as influential as the U.S. and the Soviet Union would bring forth many of the allies, resulting in a war on a global…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Jfk Assassination Timeline
    • 1826 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Jfk Assassination Timeline

    Just eight days after Kennedy’s inauguration, Kennedy was briefed by the CIA about this plan that was formerly created when Kennedy’s precursor President Dwight Eisenhower was in office; this plan was known as the Bay of Pigs. Kennedy, eventually, and reluctantly approved and went through with Eisenhower 's plan to attempt to overthrow Castro. The U.S didn’t trust Castro because of his relationship with the communistic government, Russia. The U.S. hoped to overthrow Castro to create a democratic government that wasn’t a threat to our national security (Kennedy…

    • 1826 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Brilliant Essays

    Cuban Missile Crisis Ideology
    • 1482 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Cuban Missile Crisis Ideology

    It is clear that it was a combination of events that led to the Cuban Missile Crisis and not one single affair. However, it has been argued that it was the Bay of Pigs invasion that was the central event that led to a downward spiral to the crisis and although conflicting views in ideology and economic issues certainly played a part, the invasion arguably gave Khrushchev the excuse he needed to initiate a defence plan for Cuba. Without the invasion, Khrushchev could have been seen to have acted out of…

    • 1482 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Brilliant Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Cuban Missile Crisis
    • 1356 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Cuban Missile Crisis

    Some people (Joint Chiefs of Staff) demanded an airstrike to destroy the weapons (Office)(Gale). Followed by a U.S. invasion of Cuba; others favored harsh communications to Cuba and the Soviet Union. President Kennedy decided on a middle course action. On October 22, he ordered a naval “quarantine” of Cuba (Gale). The use of “quarantine” legally applied this action from the blockade, which assumed a position of war existed; the use of “quarantine” in place of “blockade” also allowed the United States to receive the backup of the Organization of American States (Office). The same day, Kennedy sent a letter to Khrushchev declaring that the United States would not allow offensive weapons to be sent to Cuba, and requested that the Soviets eliminate the weapon bases already under construction or in process, and return all offensive weapons to the U.S.S.R. The letter was the first in a series of communications between the White House and the Kremlin during the duration of the crisis…

    • 1356 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Success Of Khrushchev And The Cuban Missile Crisis
    • 1356 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Success Of Khrushchev And The Cuban Missile Crisis

    However, ultimately, in the long run, the Cuban Missile Crisis was a victory for Khrushchev. This is because Khrushchev achieved his objectives, being the removal of the missiles in Turkey and making Kennedy promise to never invade Cuba, which made Cuba one of the only communist countries in a region dominated by the United States. Whilst Kennedy was successful in the withdrawal of Soviet missiles, he was forced into a secret agreement with Khrushchev, which therefore proved that in the long term the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis was a victory for Khrushchev and the Soviet…

    • 1356 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Jfk Thirteen Days Analysis
    • 1277 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Jfk Thirteen Days Analysis

    The Cuban Missile Crisis had the potential to lead to a thermonuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union (Haupt 2016 T5L1, 2016), however diplomatic solutions were found to avert a full fledged war. Several of Kennedy’s personality characteristics play important roles in the strategies taken by the United States during the crisis and guided the foreign policy of the country. As a confident and charismatic leader, Kennedy displayed a high need for power and a high perception of control. Kennedy’s confidence in his own ability to choose the correct path for the nation is exemplified in two scenes. When his military staff advanced their…

    • 1277 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2023 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings