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Cuban Missile Crisis

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A day by day account of the gravity of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union during the cold war.

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October 1962 13 days the world stands at the brink of Destruction with them 4 to 6 hours 24 missiles to be coming at the United States a new untested commander-in-chief faces the Specter of Total War he has the most powerful nuclear force in the history of warfare and he started mobilizing everything tonight the untold stories from inside the Oval Office recently Declassified audio recordings that was everybody against the president and she documents in every presidency there comes a moment align to be crossed a decision to be made when a man we elect the president becomes the commander-in-chief October 22nd 1962 at the height of the Cold War America's fragile security is Shattered by an ominous announcement President Kennedy I will go on the air on the television and radio networks in the nation at 7 p.m. tonight to discuss a subject of the highest emergency  throughout the day the tension builds and 1 by 150 million you're tuned in and waiting 6:59 p.m. one minute before he goes on the air President John F Kennedy the commander-in-chief takes one last look at his notes  the moments he will announce to the American people they are at the brink of War  this government has promised has contain the closest surveillance of the Soviet military buildup on the island of Cuba within the past week unmistakable couldn't establish the fact that a series of offensive missile site is now in prison Island remember we're all family watch the speech my living room and it changed the world everybody was aware that there might not be get tomorrow when I wake up to Ed  what the American public doesn't know at the time is that this Crisis began seven days earlier October 14th 62 CIA spy plane flying at 70,000 feet conducts routine surveillance over Cuba high-powered cam is mounted on the plane capture images of a number of mysterious objects in a nondescript feel less than 24 hours later those pictures are transferred to the cia's National photographic interpretation Center or the npic this is the photograph that started the Cuban Missile Crisis is Chief Information officer for the NPI 65 feet long needs are hundred feet long  Bruce Lee when he realizes he might be looking at a missile a Soviet missile his team gets to work measuring the two black objects we were kind of concerned where they SS trees or ssj4 DSS three runs about 50 ft and we had major the ss4 from the Moscow parades to be sick about 65 ft so what we hit 65 that was a call made right there are dozens of medium-range nuclear missiles it's a direct to the security of The American Nation if we've exchanged nuclear weapons with the soap what would have happened to the atmosphere what would have happened to the town we did a study on what will happen to New York my God  did you never put it together again at 8:45 a.m. on the morning of October 16th  National Security adviser McGeorge Bundy what's the top secret photos to the commander-in-chief  as President John F Kennedy reviews the materials  he quickly realized the gravity of the situation just 22 months into his young presidency the Cold War has reached a Tipping Point president whether he's have military experience or not who tells you that he can be perfect commander and chief from day one is kidding almost all the time you have a period during which the president is going up a very steep learning  one false move could trigger a full-scale nuclear the fate of the world now rest in his hands the Cuban Missile Crisis has officially begun Kennedy was extremely upset and quickly invited advisors in to share is an  Bobby Kennedy was called in Kenny O'Donnell his chief of staff was brought in very rapidly this group into what we now know as XCOM the XCOM or the executive committee of the National Security Council becomes President Kennedy's top secret response team for the crisis  inside the cabinet room behind closed doors the president activates a secret tape recorder these are actual recordings only recently Declassified of the president's conversations  one of Kennedy's first question is directed to weapons expert Sydney so you can buy it the President's advisers may be unclear how much time is left before the missiles are operational but one thing is certain of forceful response his knee spin fast certain part of the East Coast  the military are pushing for overwhelming Force from people who said nuts present such a bad pitch even telling us we should get rid of Castro now's your chance the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 when CIA operatives trying to remove the communist leader from Power has put a strain on the relationship between the president and the military brass  I thought they weren't consulted there was not a lot of trust or confidence present and in the first day of the crisis the XCOM is deep in debate Kennedy wants to keep his options open but his military commanders are growing Restless for a show of US Air power everybody's blunt their fans were out and they were of a mind to start throwing Rockets Napalm and bombs they had to destroy the ballistic missiles before they became operational On The Ritz before they could be fired if you know six second option presented includes a full-scale invasion of the island the president is skeptical  at all Nursery Saturday it's day one of the Cuban Missile Crisis wines down Kennedy when was he doesn't have much time if the evidence in the photos of solid which have missiles aimed at the United States  the president will be forced to push the country and the world to the threshold of War October 17th day two of the Cuban Missile Crisis the commander and chief John F Kennedy has visual proof that the Soviet Union is stockpiling nuclear missiles 90 miles offshore the news from that show the Soviets are making rapid progress constructing the missile sites now in the cabinet room of the White House the president is demanding more Intel pressing down the chain of command for answers keeping his military leadership at arm's length from the very beginning one of the things on his mind was to make sure that not push us into an unnecessary War what the world would later know is that the Soviet plan to send missiles to Cuba which hatch nine months earlier pics of the Soviet Union February 1962 Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev gathered is advisors in this tiny black sea village is rare home movie captures the drama as a select group of General elaborate scheme  the 8mm film was shot by the premier's own son 27 year old surrogate he was the game for the Soviet Union the same as Berlin versus United States small piece of land beautiful not defended even risking the nuclear war you will lose your face and your trust you my father to make something dramatic cheaters  the Russians code name their top-secret operation anadyr all encompassing operation to move a task force of 50,000 troops as well as five regiments of medium intermediate-range ballistic missiles in an attempt to conceal their military build-up the Soviets contracted dozens of containers used to transport the missile systems across the Atlantic  in the summer of 1962 the CIA was watching and informing the president August 23rd in this Declassified memo the CIA tractor passage of 57 Soviet Merchant ships arriving in Cuba the course of the summer we would look at the Ships coming in and not only coming in  but I'm loading we would see where they would go he begin to shut off early alarm Bells at the White House Soviet diplomats insisted the Arsenal was purely defense born September 13th 1962 President Kennedy draws a line in the sand for the Soviets Tori, defensive military base of significant capacity for the Soviet Union's then this country will do whatever must be done to protect its own security and that its allies  the Soviets were now on notice placement of offensive weapons in was an act of War  Washington DC October 18th day three of the as morning breaks the commander and chief knows it at least one-third of his country he's within range of Soviet missiles but now there was an even more ominous development the CIA has new photos photos of bigger and longer range missiles McNamara comes with Bobby comes over to our place we put the photographs on the map cabinet and Bobby said huh now what are you saying you saying well this is an intermediate-range ballistic missile site that has a range of 2000 200 miles and that means that hold the United States with exception of the extreme Northwest could be targeted from here  so add you sure now  and when Bobby found out he was like a price fighter he was really ticked off you have to be careful talking because you knew Bobby was the president's right-hand man the commander and chief wants more evidence and clearer pictures orders are sent down the chain of command to the commander of the Atlantic Fleet did the commanding officer of the 62nd light photo Squadron and finally to a young pilot Gerald coffee  when do the things are heating up in 10 minutes missiles in Cuba Gerald coffee Squadron of RF Halo flying reconnaissance Jets to deploy to the Boca Chica Air Base in Key West Florida  I suspect that it has to do with what we didn't know exactly what our role might be  but it was long before we got the word that we were going to be Mission planning to fly missions a week either back of the x-com it's day three of the crisis  he looks around the room the president feels trapped the two plans before him involved direct attacks on Soviet Personnel in Cuba any attack on Soviet forces is likely to set off a dentist chain of events in Europe the first Target for Moscow West Berlin epicenter of the Cold War at the XCOM defense secretary McNamara leaves out of terrifying scenario what that's what I do The General air change this pitch one of those remarkable moments on the tapes when they sort of speculate around the table we do this will they do that who is the silence in the room. I think everybody around the table at that moment simply realizes what talking about the president is desperate for a third option another way to avoid a showdown defense secretary McNamara gives it to him blockade of Soviet ships carrying weapons Bound for Cuba  because I think it reduces the very serious risk of large-scale military action from which this country cannot benefit President Kennedy has a chance to confront the Soviets directly is he heads to a long-standing meeting in the Oval Office with cruise ships Emissary foreign minister Andrei gromyko  do brugioni use in the Next Room his photos are within the president's reach the president did show groom equal he's staring at gramaco Hannah gramaco is very animated the commander-in-chief makes it a point to remind rumiko of the warning he gave cruise ship one-month earlier offensive weapons and Cuba are an act of War Kimiko knows the truth he doesn't show it he is adamant the weapons are entirely defensive  then after that present would have nothing to do with grow Mako  between a deceptive opponent and his own trigger-happy advisors President Kennedy is desperate no way out the first he will have to take matters into his own hands as the tension between the president and his generals reaches a Breaking Point super 19 day 4 of the Cuban Missile Crisis  President Kennedy holds another nerve-racking meeting this one with his Joint Chiefs of Staff the generals are asking for aggressive military action the president is leaning towards a blockade Play Holes that we have to start with a nonviolent step we have to give the Russians an opportunity to see how seriously we take this and that there is time there is an opportunity to back off  Will President Kennedy calls for restraint Air Force General Curtis LeMay push his back and a Stock Exchange is caught on tape that was pretty fast at every meeting a word disdainful openly disdainful what is subordinate to Watson which is General sniping at him the president searches hard for a solution to evaluate the advice given them as uniform leadership for a carefully and alone is responsible for making the decision right to the top in the armed forces are not necessarily life on students of international Affairs lifelong strategists next  the president knows it ballistic missile sites are already under construction in Cuba and the CIA is reporting that more shipments are crossing the Atlantic the time has come for the commander-in-chief to act against the advice of his military advisers he authorizes his strict Naval quarantine of the island of Cuba reset for starters that have blockade as an act of war and always has been this is the reason why they called it a quarantine the idea was they established series of lines around Cuba to go ahead and intercept board search and if necessary turn away from that line  the president's quarantine order travels down the Navy's chain of command from Secretary of Defense McNamara chief of Naval operations the Atlantic fleet commander and the commander of Destroyer Squadron 6 Charles Calhoun I had just come back to my quarters on the Naval Base when the phone rang the Atlantic fleet commander wanted to know how many ships good sale on short notice from an operation order it is Destroyer Squadron is part of a highly classified Mission but he's has no idea exactly what that mission is my last comment as we left with walk you're going to have to tell me which way to turn when I get to the Cebu North or South is it stop I said okay so I had an idea then that we were headed to Cuba October 22nd day 7 of the crisis the White House goes public rampant speculation in an air of ominous tension across the country  as Millions Gather in front of their television sets to hear Kennedy speak the president seizes the moment to confront the Soviets a strict quarantine on all offensive military equipment skip into Cuba is being initiated so the whole crew listen  show tell me Union on the United States requiring a full recovery response upon the Soviet Union  that's how we found out that we were engaged quarantine Declassified Naval chart reveal the movement of Warships forming the president's quarantine line  the greatest danger of all would be to do nothing  to the public the commander-in-chief presents past or face the behind-the-scenes is forced to make decisions that will bring the nation even close border War  the Strategic Air Command moves to Defcon 3 Defcon 3 Act the entire US military is essentially what you do on the way to war army and Marine units tanks and amphibious vehicles are flooding the southeast us want to launch the attack and secondary to be prepared to defend Florida if the Soviets are the Cubans tried to respond Tober 23rd date of the crisis Navy Lieutenant Gerald coffee and members of the Squadron are about to push the envelope for the president  coffee is ordered to fly a high-risk Mission directly over the island to take aloe multitude photographs they will provide the commander and chief with the clearest pictures yet of Soviet missile sites  what was very low we feel about 50 ft actually and sometimes lower in order to stay below the radar detection the approaching about to go over what would you call the enemy territory  can you insure a very intense from inside the cockpit coffee can see Red Army soldier scattering fear by the time I got there and they decided to read the Run for the Run for Cover or run for the aircraft guns YouTube only a few seconds this really seen footage shows a member of coffee Squadron returning to the base in Jacksonville the first mission of the white photo Squadron leaves No Doubt with each passing day the construction at the missile site is getting closer to complete everything just fit together like a puzzle all the pieces were in place for an offensive launched from Cuba against the United States it was a security thing good to contemplate just hours after the dairy Mission the photos are rushed to the White House and anxious President Kennedy scours over turn the Oval Office in a matter of hours the naval quarantine will take effect and it may start is War 3 October 24th 9 days end of the crisis President John F Kennedy has turn the cabinet office and it was tuition room  it's 10 a.m. his quarantine of Cuba is now operational  ships are moving at sea like Pawns in a high-stakes game of chess  the fleet of Navy destroyers is patrolling the waters ready to stop and board Soviet ships neither side is showing signs of backing down  and Kennedy a former naval officer is running this operation personally give me directions to  within minutes the Secretary of it and since the first report of trouble to Russian cargo ships are steaming at top speed for the quarantine line 2014 approaching a better check there for our good points for our first.  Then complication but that was the greatest concert what kind of situation behind the scenes US military prepares for on the president's Authority Thomas power the commander of Strategic Air Command reach his nuclear missile and bomber Force Power and madeley bumped it up to Defcon two shortest condition short of actual War he started mobilizing everything moving to Defcon 2 for the first and only time in US history power deploys dozens of heavy bombers loaded with nuclear weapons the planes are ordered to fly Round the Clock fueling to Aerial tankers  when he was set and when he was locked and caught he had at that time the most powerful nuke Air Force in the history of warfare and he could go ahead and throw it in the Russians in 15 minutes or less that shame morning off the coast of Cuba lady Commander Charles Calhoun Maneuvers is Destroyer Squadron into a risky position they wanted us to go down there and take stations predetermined precise geographical points if the president orders in aerosol Calhoun's ships will former radar picket line the guide to their targets I don't think myself went as far as to Envision what what happened after the first strike I just knew that we would be in in that war and we would be dealing directly with the Soviet but I didn't go beyond that sous vide container ships in a nuclear-armed submarine down on the quarantine line  both sides brace for Collision which appears to be only hours away  10:30 a.m. any XCOM room the president is focused art calling for updates suddenly the director of the CIA is handed a report information true at all six of your ships currently identified in Cuban Waters am I to stop at the XCOM heard about that secretary how about I just who won the high-stakes staring contest inside Cuba October 25th day 10 of the crisis Navy pilot Gerald coffee has already provided the president with invaluable proof of the Soviet threat that morning he sets out on another during reconnaissance mission  the president needs updates on the progress of construction at the missile sites I saw in the corner of my eye some activity off to the left hand side of the airplane eyeglass over look like a vehicle park or some kind with some camouflage netting kiss a frog missile site the Soviets have deployed Battlefield nuclear weapons each with the explosive charge of one seventh of the bomb drop Hiroshima  please track missiles would have been devastating to any kind of an amphibious Force coming in without knowledge of their their presents because the Marines to revamp all of their contingency plans are for an amphibious Landing in Cuba  October 46 day 11 of the crisis back in Washington and exhausted president is beginning to lose faith he worries that the quarantine resulting in nothing more than a highly volatile stalemate and the key was everything they can see that from the tography  Kennedy did begin to have second thoughts or at least to greatest final showdown with the Soviets is just hours away  and desperately tonight diplomacy May determine the fate of the world Friday evening October 26th day 11  US Marshals came to our house to have a and the movie posters of giant bunker in the Blue Ridge Mountains but my father called and he said that he need to be good vultures and go back to school he said that if there was a nuclear exchange that we wouldn't want to be live anyway I was only eight years old at the time the White House President Kennedy is at a low point of the crisis  he's doubting his own decisions  buried the quarantine is just a stopgap on the way to World War 3 then he's handed a tough secret cable from Moscow a rambling emotional letter written by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev step forward and he made a proposal for the first time United States publicly commits not to invade Cuba then the somebody will remove it for the president who already had offensive weapons in Italy and turkey it's a small price to pay in a global nuclear chess game was obviously a huge step toward finding an accommodation  for the first time since the start of the crisis there seems to be a way out October 27th day 12 of The Crisis it's a black Saturday Hope from the night before slips away for the commander-in-chief the soubise releasing ominous new message broadcast over Radio Moscow it's harsh tone is sharp contrast to the message he received from Khrushchev the night before  Cuban missiles will stay unless the president agrees to remove his Jupiter missiles turkey  at the XCOM meeting defense secretary McNamara is outraged chat replying announces publicly as a deal before we were see you must have been an overruling in Moscow  ships first message was salt and a second one was hard one of the questions came up his cruise ship still in charge  which I hadn't seen in I thought there was a military coup meanwhile CIA photo expert Dino has more bad news for the president 24 missile pads were operational meaning that with him 46 hours 24 missiles could be coming at the United States  the moment I feared from day one has arrived operation and endear is complete the missiles are ready for lunch a thousand miles away Gerald coffee is screaming into Cuban airspace in his rf-82 this time something has changed in the river mirrors on both sides of the canopy boat you see black puffs they were shooting so you just kind of hunker down and hold your breath coffee manages to complete his mission but several members of his Squadron are forced to abort do the enemy fire weed hostilities actually break Mount is the unthinkable moment arrived he's the Cold War about to turn hot 2:30 p.m. mini XCOM room  disturbing report arise from the Pentagon in addition to the flights U-2 spy planes are flying missions over Cuba now one of those planes is in trouble camp they fired the first shot  the Soviets have down the American plane with a v 75 surface-to-air missile the president feels his control of events beginning to slip the endless days sleepless nights are taking a toll McNamara was coming apart at the seams he was getting hard to live with I mean they were sleeping on top they were eating hamburgers and so forth but I say that the president maintain is cool  standing alone the president he's the only the x-com willing to consider moscow's demand concerning the NATO missiles in Turkey  I'm not exaggerating at all to say that they play it was everybody against the president he was really Obama  at that time and just saying you know we can't kill all these people by 7 p.m. there was no consensus and no resolution in sight  President Kennedy wants to make one last Comfort things look worse than ever on Saturday night  it looks like there was going to be War we've got to get ready to go play The Underground the Secret Service were thinking about moving the president to watch the sunset and he said I want to follow to see a sunset like that again that night I called my wife and I said if I call you once more to put the kids in the car and start off amazura because I was convinced that we were at War Sunday more October 28th day 13 of the crisis  to the surprise of many a cool Autumn sun rises over washing the new message arrives from Moscow the breaking the crisis was came suddenly this morning in Moscow Soviet Premier Nikita was Jeff announce that Russian missile bases in Cuba would be dismantled crated and shipped back to the Soviet Union decades later is revealed that on the night before the resolution the president sent his brother Robert Kennedy to meet secretly with Soviet Ambassador and Rita Brennan  my father pulled the rent and that Jack was in a position where he did not know if he could control his own military which was an extraordinary admission and they made a now in a well-known deal that was at that time a secret which was to remove the Jupiter missiles from Turkey the President Kennedy and the nation the crisis is over  the world breathes easier the bombers turn to their bases the American people in Generations unborn are free to live their lives and boldly face the future November 9th less than two weeks after the agreement Captain Charles Calhoun of the sixth Destroyer is ordered to inspect one of the first Soviet vessels carrying missiles out of Cuba  biker babe should language Dover and ask him to take the bullhorn and in Russian say good morning Captain we have come to inspect your missiles Captain amenity heard this greeting in Russian whole face lit up and he call good morning  come alongside you can come by missiles all in English alarm work is been done looking at the Cuban Missile Crisis as a model of decision-making get the fax try to put yourself in a mind of your adversary because there may be a way out of the crisis it's really hard to reverse course you can find some way to put an intermediate step in there should do that thank you could have done a better job it was so many continuances so many possibilities that could have started the unthinkable we will we will all of us that we hear he was the commander-in-chief that it was his decision nobody else's The Cost of Freedom is always Americans have always paid it and one path we shall never choose and that is the path of surrender or submission my goal is not the victory of might but the Vindication of right not peace at the expense of freedom but both peace unfreedom here in this Hemisphere and we hope around the world  God willing that go will be achieved thank you and goodnight

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Cuban Missile Crisis

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