Introduction. Definition of Key Terms

Transcription

1 Forum: United Nations Historical Security Council Issue: Resolving an escalating crisis between the U.S. and USSR following the discovery of missiles being assembled in Cuba on October 14, Student Officers: Shwe Einthe, Henry Tun, Si Thu Kaung Sett Introduction On October 14, 1962 Soviet missiles in Cuba being assembled for installation were photographed by an American U-2 spy plane making a high altitude pass over Cuba; the photograph taken by the spy plane shows a Soviet SS-4 medium-range ballistic missile being assembled for installation. This has initiated a serious crisis. President John F. Kennedy was briefed about these missiles on October 16, and now has gathered a group of officials and advisors known as the Executive Committee (ExCom) in the Situation Room of the White House to discuss how to confront the USSR about this issue, or if confrontation should even be an option. Furthermore, on October 22, 1962 (CUT OFF DATE) he notified the American public n a TV broadcast about the presence of Soviet missiles in the Communist state of Cuba. The missiles with a range of 1600 km (1000 miles) have the ability to turn major US cities into potential targets. The photograph taken by the spy plane shows a Soviet SS-4 medium-range ballistic missile being assembled for installation. Definition of Key Terms

2 Cold War A series of ideological rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union that was fought to spread capitalist or communist influence across various parts of the world Communist Believer or supporter of an economic and social system in which all property and resources are collectively owned and regulated by the state and not by individual citizens Eastern Bloc Communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, including the countries of the Warsaw Pact, along with Yugoslavia and Albania General Fulgencio Batista: soldier and political leader that ruled Cuba from with an efficient government and in as dictator Ballistic missile Missile with a high, arching trajectory, which is initially thrust and guided to eventually fall on to its intended target National Security terrorism The safety and security of a nation against threats such as war, espionage and Nuclear War An all out war involving the utilization of nuclear weapons with the intent of causing massive devastation and damage Naval blockade Blocking of a nation's lines of communication at sea by the use of sea power Organization of American States (OAS) An organization made up of countries of the Americas in the hopes of promoting military, economic and cultural collaboration while maintaining peace

3 Platt Amendment - Treaty that was formed between the United States and Cuba which initially was to meant protect Cuba from foreign influence but instead effectively allowed the United States to exert excessive control and influence over international and domestic affairs of Cuba Sphere of Influence A territorial area within which the political influence or the interests of one nation are held to be more or less paramount Superpower A very powerful and influential nation (used to describe the United States and the Soviet Union - the two most powerful nations in the world). Western Bloc Countries allied with the NATO against the Soviet Union and its allies Key Issues USA and its allies and USSR and its allies

4 A cold war The United States and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) are in the midst of a tense Cold War that began in 1945 at the end of World War II, it is now the year In early 1945 the United States, USSR, and Great Britain came together at the Yalta and Potsdam conference to discuss the future of post-war Germany, Poland, and other East European nations. As Winston Churchill stated in March 1946 in a now iconic speech an Iron Curtain has descended upon the continent, so it has been split into the Western Bloc of Europe under the influences of the U.S. and the Eastern Bloc of Europe under the influence of the USSR. During the war the three formed a Grand Alliance, and defeated Nazi Germany. Worth mentioning is that between the Yalta and Potsdam conference there was a change of representatives; Former U.S President Roosevelt passed away, and Former President Truman was required to step up in his place. In the UK Former Prime Minister Attlee replaced Prime Minister Churchill. Truman was more hardline with the USSR, which lead to serious disagreements and tensions lead to a breakdown of the Alliance almost immediately after World War II. The relationship between the U.S. and the USSR especially deteriorated. The two nations are different in ideology; the U.S identified itself as a wholly capitalist society, while the USSR was founded on the values of communism. It is called a Cold War because the two have never engaged in a full scale military conflict. However, this Cold War is also characterized by an arms-race, the two nations constantly attempting to one- up each other in technological advancements. Cuba and U.S. relationship The origins of the current Crisis can be traced back to Fidel Castro in 1959 who overthrew the U.S. backed government of General Fulgencio Batista. The island nation of Cuba is only 145 kilometers (90 miles) off the coast of the U.S, and because of this the U.S. considers Cuba to be within its Sphere of Influence. The Platt Agreement signed between the U.S. and Cuba states that the U.S. will exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence which can be interpreted as the U.S may intervene in all Cuban economics, and politics. When Batista lost power the U.S. very reluctantly recognized Castro s government on 7 January However, the U.S. still hoped to control Cuba s economic interests. During this time Castro considered Cuba not Communism or Marxism, but representative democracy and social justice in a well-planned economy. In April 1959 Castro visited the U.S. hoping to receive economic

5 assistance for the reforms he hoped to implement in Cuba. However, his reforms included nationalization of U.S. companies present in Cuba, which meant would loosen U.S s economic grip on Cuba. The U.S. s response was to refuse him economic assistance unless he followed certain guidelines set out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Furthermore, The Organization of American States (OAS) refused to offer any financial aid for Cuba to develop. Cuba and USSR relationship The alliance between Cuba and USSR was a rather unexpected turn of events, as the USSR initially had very little intelligence on Fidel Castro when he came to power after the Cuban Revolution, having reported him to be an untrustworthy agent working for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and an anti-communist. The increased U.S. embargos on Cuba forced it to seek help from other sources to save its own economic markets, turning to USSR. In 1960, Premier Khrushchev approved the exchange of Cuban sugar for Soviet fuel, causing a drastic, sustainable aid for the Cuban economy, and the economic aid aligned Cuba with a prominent Communist state, challenging the U.S. as it now had a Communist ally right at its doorstep. After the Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961, Castro officially announced Cuba to be a socialist republic, and its defense mechanisms became a priority to Khrushchev who was threatened by his belief that it's only a matter of time before America strikes again, this time with much more formidable force. In response to the NATO s placements of nuclear missiles in Turkey in 1958, Khrushchev deployed six Soviet ships carrying nuclear weapons to Cuba, a more proximate location to its rival. Bay of Pigs Also worth mentioning is even though Castro s government was recognized the U.S. continues efforts to attempt to overthrow Castro through covert actions known as Operation Mongoose, which includes assassination plots and other Cuban leaders, and reverse the development of Cuba by sabotaging sugar plantations and petroleum installations- both central to Cuba s economic growth. The events of March 1960 now called the Bay of Pigs invasion is a prime example of the U.S. s opposition of Castro s government in Cuba. Former President Eisenhower approved a CIA plan to overthrow Castro. The plan involved training Cuban refugees for an invasion at the Bay of Pigs (see Important Maps). President Kennedy who replaced Eisenhower continued the plan.

6 However, it was a failure that resulted in the capture of 1215 of the 1400 invaders. Furthermore, the prisoners were released in return for $53 million worth of food paid for by the U.S. The Bay of Pigs is an important event because the failure of the operation reflected extremely badly on President Kennedy; he now faces humiliation and international condemnation for even letting the operation take place in the first place. The pressure is now on for the newly elected President Kennedy to handle the current missile Crisis better than he did the Bay of Pigs invasion. The Bay of Pigs incident will certainly affect how he handles the situation. Timeline of Relevant, Treaties, and Events 1959 Fidel Castro takes power in the aftermath of the Cuban Revolution. Tensions quell with the United States as the newly formed Cuban government starts to seize Americanowned assets 1960 United States, in order to protect their National Security, imposes a trade embargo around Cuba. In response, Cuba nationalizes all foreign institutions and openly aligns with the Soviet Union and their policies 1961 United States and Cuba breaks relations. John F. Kennedy is elected into office as the 35th President of the United States. The Cuban government successfully fends off an invasion attempt by the Cuban-exiles (with the support of the United States) at the Bay of Pigs. April 1962 American Jupiter Missiles that are situated in Turkey missiles within range of many Soviet targets, become operational August 31, 1962 Senator Kenneth Keating warns the Senate of the Soviet s construction of missile sites and implores President Kennedy to take drastic action September 11, 1962 In a speech to the UN, Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko threatens the United States with war should they ever attack Cuba

7 October 14-15, 1962 An American spy plane, after flying over Cuba, captures and provides photo-evidence that proves the existence of Soviet missile sites October 16, 1962 After careful analysis of the evidence, President Kennedy calls an emergency meeting with a group of selected military and political advisors. This group known as the ExCom (Executive Committee) decides to issue a naval blockade around Cuba October 22, 1962 President Kennedy, in a televised speech, both publicly brings forth the imminent threat of the crisis to the world and warns that there will be retaliation from the United States on the Soviet Union if a missile is launched from Cuba. Major Parties and Their Views Chile Is as of now aligned with the Easter Bloc and the USSR, because in 1958 onethird of the presidential votes went to a socialist-marxist Salvador Allende. However, keep in mind that the in countries with a power vacuum like Chile, they are prone to U.S. backed dictators. China (P5) China is a young nation and fiercely communist. As of now it is not the number one priority of the U.S, but being the only other self-declared Communist nation it has automatically aligned itself with the USSR. Cuba Not formerly Communist at all, but the economic and social abuse from the U.S. has pushed Cuba further into the arms of the USSR. East Germany

8 The poverty stricken counterpart of Germany, it is faced with its people escaping and migrating to the wealthier West Germany. East Germany, since its conception is aligned with the USSR. United Arab Republic It is a former alliance between Egypt and Syria. Aligned the USSR, but the U.S is also extremely interested. France (P5) During the early 20th century, the French were the most prominent investors in the Russian Empire, allowing for its industrialization. During the Cold War, however, France and United States opposed the Soviet Union as allies of the North Atlantic treaty, though there laid some conflicts like the Suez Crisis within the alliance. Ghana Part of a temporary association of African nations in the 1960s known as the Casablanca group, Ghana was suspected of having more connections with the Eastern Bloc than the West though proclaimed as neutral. Ireland Ireland has been neutral of international affairs since the 1930s. During the Cold War, it maintained its neutral state for the most part yet allowed for searches of aircrafts travelling between Cuba and Eastern Bloc that stopped in Shannon for weaponry during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Romania After World War 2, Romania was occupied by the Soviet Union and became part of the Eastern Bloc. In 1944, Soviet forces invaded and persuaded Romania s king to sign an armistice, authorizing USSR s occupation of Romania including the installation of a Communist government and serving as a pawn nation for the Soviets. USSR (P5)

9 The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was a socialist state that prevailed from 1922 to Though allies in World War 2, USSR and United States has become rivalrous superpowers after the war due to conflicting beliefs and a strong sense of distrust. This led to the Cold War, and USSR was the head of the Eastern Bloc that was united by the Warsaw Pact. United Kingdom (P5) The relationship between the UK and USSR remains extremely tense. It too opposes Communist expansion, and is a valuable ally to the U.S. Because of its size, it is able to act as a widespread secret intelligence network all around the world. U.S.A (P5) The only nation to emerge relatively wealthier after the war, because it was able to sell weapons all around the world. Some political scientists believe that the U.S. is the true global Superpower for this, and that the USSR is merely a regional superpower. The goal of the U.S is purely economic, only making decisions based on economic interest. Venezuela Heavily influenced by the U.S. it s dictator, it is one of the many LEDCs that are forced to align with a Bloc. West Germany The wealthier counterpart of Germany, and U.S. backed. It is in it s own right a rapidly developing country. Previous Attempts to Solve the Issue There have been no attempts to solve this issue. Possible Solutions We strongly suggest that the best course of action now is to set up direct communication between the US and USSR, and come to a compromise. The biggest leverage each party has now to work with is that the US has missiles in Turkey, which worries the USSR greatly, and is possibly the rationale for why the USSR placed

10 missiles in Cuba in the first place. Moreover, the USSR has missiles in Cuba, which is reason for concern as well. Questions A Resolution Should Answer 1. What is the most peaceful course of action? 2. How can we satisfy both the U.S. and the USSR? 3. How can we satisfy all the parties involved without additional costs? 4. How can we ensure Cuba s national sovereignty? 5. How will the Bay of Pigs incident affect President Kennedy s decision-making? 6. How can we ensure that a nuclear related crisis will never happen again? 7. Can we find ways to convince main parties to reduce or control arms?

11 Bibliography History.com Staff. Cuban Missile Crisis. History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2010, Devine, Catherine. Gerry Adams to Travel to Cuba for Fidel Castro's Funeral. Independent.ie, Independent.ie, 27 Nov. 2016, The Kennedy. Pinterest, Nikita Khrushchev Photo Gallery. Getty Images, #russian-leader-nikita-khrushchev-with-cuban-leader-fidel-castro-inpicture-id Todd, Allan. History for the Ib Diploma: the Cold War. Cambridge Univ Press, Rogers, Keely, and Jo Thomas. The Cold War: Superpower Tensions and Rivalries. Pearson, 2015.

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