The results of the Cuban Missile Crisis

The results of the Cuban Missile Crisis

1. The consequences for the leaders

   • Kennedy
     • Crisis gave him a much needed foreign policy success - which strengthened his presidency - To avoid humiliating Soviets he sensibly ordered 'no boasting, no gloating, not even a claim of victory'
     • Could claim to have removed the Soviet threat from the USA's 'backyard' and to have prevented a superpower nuclear exchange
     • 10 days after crisis - Kennedy reaped domestic political rewards in US Congressional elections - Democrats won their biggest majority in the Senate for 20 years
     • He pledged to not removed Castro from Cuba - hence accepted that, for the foreseeable future, Cuba would be communist
     • Kennedy secretly agreed to remove missiles from Turkey - decision taken without knowledge of Turkish govt was not revealed to public until 1968
   • Khrushchev
     • Could claim credit for safeguarding Castro's regime by obtaining the US pledge not to invade Cuba - Called this 'a spectacular success' which was achieved 'without having to fire a single shot'
     • Could also argue that Soviet action in Cuba had removed the US missiles in Turkey
     • Ultimately - Khrushchev chose peace over brinkmanship but the Soviet descent in October 1962 couldn't be disguised
     • Soviet military never forgave him - saw it as a humiliating failure and this was a key factor in Khrushchev's removal from office in 1964

2. The easing of tension in 1963

   • CMC had brought superpowers to brink of nuclear war
     • In aftermath - both sides recognised that confidence-building measures were needed to reduce tensions in crisis situations and to limit likelihood of nuclear war
       • Within a year - superpowers had signed 2 important initiatives which helped to achieve this

3. The 'hot-line' agreement June 1963

   • CMC had highlighted need for rapid communication between the superpowers
     • As a result - 'hot-line' telegraph link was set up between the Whitehouse and the Kremlin
       • So that in crisis times - leaders could contact eachother immediately to hold discussions
         • Aim - to ensure that any misjudgements or misunderstandings could be resolved before a serious crisis developed
           • Nixon and Brezhnev used the 'hot-line' in 1971 during the India-Pakistan War

4. The Nuclear Test Ban Treaty August 1963

   • By October 58 - both superpowers - aware of the positive publicity value - began a voluntary suspension on nuclear tests which lasted almost 3 years
     • During this period - formal agreement couldn't be reached as the USSR rejected US demands for rigorous 'on-site' inspections
   • August 1961 - USSR resumed atmospheric tests
     • USA followed suit with new round of underground and atmospheric tests
       • Sobering impact of CMC led the 2 and Britain to sign the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty 1963
         • Banned them from conducting nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater or in space - Underground testing still permitted

5. The beginnings of détente

   • Restrained by the experience of the CMC - superpowers made greater efforts to avoid direct confrontation in the future
     • Superpowers only just avoided nuclear war in October 1962 - both sides were keen to establish better relations
       • Led to a period of superpower détente which reached a high point int he 1970s