After the failed attempt to overthrow the Castro regime by the US, the Cubans became wary of the Americans and the Soviet Union decided to use this wariness to their advantage. This led to the Khrushchev installing nuclear missiles in Cuba, his reason being “to balance the missile gap between the USA and the USSR, and to prevent any further America invasion on Cuba.” He believed that the only way to prevent Cuba from further USA invasion was to install missiles in Cuba claiming it would protect the Cuban national pride. However earlier in 1959, President Kennedy had already ordered US intermediate-range ballistic missiles –Jupiter and Thor– to be installed in Turkey, which pointed directly at the USSR. Khrushchev decided to deploy the missiles
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He alerted the public of the impending threat that the Soviets had in Cuba and that any attack from the missiles on any nation within the western hemisphere would be declared an act of war. He also described to the nation his plan for the quarantine also making it clear that it was a naval “quarantine” not a “blockade” as a blockade can be regarded as an act of war and they weren’t at war. Finally, during the speech he issued a decree that the alert system be moved to DEFCON 3 (DEFense readiness CONdition …show more content…
However, on the 25th of October the Castro regime reaffirmed Cuba's right to self-defense and said that all of their weapons were defensive and Cuba would not allow an inspection. While all of this was going on between the US and Cuba, the news of this had already spread around the world generating mixed support amongst countries. China supported Cuba while the European countries sided with the Americans. On October 24, Pope John XXIII sent a message to the Soviet embassy in Rome in which he voiced his concern for peace. He stated in the message, "We beg all governments not to remain deaf to this cry of humanity. That they do all that is in their power to save
He alerted the public of the impending threat that the Soviets had in Cuba and that any attack from the missiles on any nation within the western hemisphere would be declared an act of war. He also described to the nation his plan for the quarantine also making it clear that it was a naval “quarantine” not a “blockade” as a blockade can be regarded as an act of war and they weren’t at war. Finally, during the speech he issued a decree that the alert system be moved to DEFCON 3 (DEFense readiness CONdition …show more content…
However, on the 25th of October the Castro regime reaffirmed Cuba's right to self-defense and said that all of their weapons were defensive and Cuba would not allow an inspection. While all of this was going on between the US and Cuba, the news of this had already spread around the world generating mixed support amongst countries. China supported Cuba while the European countries sided with the Americans. On October 24, Pope John XXIII sent a message to the Soviet embassy in Rome in which he voiced his concern for peace. He stated in the message, "We beg all governments not to remain deaf to this cry of humanity. That they do all that is in their power to save