10 Unbelievable Facts about the Cuban Crisis during the Cold War

LeMay Cuban Missile Crisis. Photo by Unknown Author on Wikimedia

10 Unbelievable Facts about the Cuban Crisis during the Cold War

The Cuban Missile Crisis, also referred to as the October Crisis (of 1962) or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union. This crisis turned into a global emergency when American missile deployments in Italy and Turkey were matched by Soviet deployments of analogous ballistic missiles in Cuba.

Despite its brief duration, the Cuban Missile Crisis continues to be a pivotal milestone in the development of nuclear war planning and national security. The conflict is frequently seen as the point where the Cold War almost broke out into a full-fledged nuclear conflict.

Fidel Castro requested additional SA-2 anti-aircraft missiles from the Soviet Union in late 1961. The Soviet government did not comply with the request from the former Cuban President. During the break, Fidel Castro started criticizing the Soviets for lacking “revolutionary audacity” and started negotiating economic aid deals with China.

Anibal Escalante and his pro-Moscow allies were expelled from Cuba’s Integrated Revolutionary Organizations on Fidel Castro’s orders in March 1962. This made the Soviet leadership frightened by this incident and worried about a potential American invasion. More SA-2 anti-aircraft missiles and a regiment of regular Soviet troops were supplied by the Soviet Union in April in response to the current foreign relations situation.

Here are the 10 Unbelievable Facts about the Cuban Crisis during the Cold War:

1. A Military Invasion was the Major Cause of the Cuban Crisis

A4D-2 Skyhawks of VA-34 in flight over USS Essex (CVS-9) during the Bay of Pigs Invasion in April 1961. Photo by Robert L. Lawson on Wikimedia

In April 1961, there was a military invasion of Cuba by a group that was sponsored by the CIA. This military invasion came to be known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion after a bay in southern Cuba. However, it was thwarted by the Cuban armed forces in three days.

After the defeat of the invasion, the position of then-Cuban PM Fidel Castro was strengthened which led to the embarrassment of the US government. Then-president John F Kennedy was in office during this period. The ties between Cuba and the Soviet Union were also strengthened through Fidel Castro had fears of another US invasion.

The United States of America imposed an embargo as well as continued covert operations that were against Fidel Castro’s government. This contributed to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

2. Operation Anadyr was the Name Given to Placing Missiles in Cuba

P-2H Neptune over Soviet ship Oct 1962. Photo by USN on Wikimedia

As the two major superpowers during this period, the US and the Soviet Union were involved in an unending conflict, America has another mission elsewhere. By 1962, American nuclear missiles in Italy and Turkey were present against the Soviet Union with Moscow being within range.

There were high expectations that an invasion of Cuba could deal the communist cause a blow, Nikita Khrushchev and Fidel Castro had an agreement. The two leaders agreed to place nuclear missiles in Cuba secretly. They gave this operation a Soviet code, Operation Anadyr.

3. Maskirovka Strategy was Used in Operation Anadyr

The Soviet Union had to plan on using various strategies to accomplish Operation Anadyr. They had to employ a new strategy for their success alongside the Cubans.

Maskirovka strategy was deployed for Operation Anadyr. Maskirovka is a Russian term for denial and deception. Soldiers were made to head out to the cold region and got provided with winter equipment.

Partially correct information was given to Cuban exile organizations as a trick of making American intelligence take it as blatant lies. With the Maskirovka operation, the Soviets were able to transfer 40,000 troops as well as weapons to Cuba. The US discovered the nature of this operation, however, the CIA estimated the number of troops was 6,000 to 8,000 which was not correct making the operation a success. 

4. The US got Clear Evidence of Missiles through Photos taken from U-2

Soviet-R-12-nuclear-ballistic missile. Photo by Central Intelligence Agency on Wikimedia

For five weeks starting in September 1962, the United States decided to restrict a CIA-operated U-2. The Lockheed U-2 was a United States intelligence-gathering aircraft. The restriction was to avoid the Cuban government from shooting the U-2 and leading to another international event.

On 14th October of the same year, a U-2 flight piloted by Major Richard S. Heyser passed over Cuba. It took photographs that showed clear evidence of medium-range and intermediate-range ballistic missile facilities.

5. EXCOMM Group Considered Several Options to Prevent Further Entry of Missiles into Cuba

EXCOMM meeting, Cuban Missile Crisis, 29 October 1962. Photo by Cecil Stoughton on Wikimedia

On 16^th October, then-president John Kennedy had to convene a meeting with key advisers to discuss the course of action on the crisis he was informed about. John Kennedy was named the Group Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM).

The group considered several options including a full forced invasion of Cuba, Air strikes on the missile bases, and even a naval blockade. This was to prevent any further missiles from entering Cuba. The blockage option was voted for by October 19 which was unlikely to provoke a Soviet attack.

6. The US had Planned to Invade Cuba before Crisis Resolution

Things were becoming tenser as the Cuban Missile Crisis was about to take a massive turn. On the evening of October 22^nd, US President Kennedy decided to inform the nation of the discovery of the nuclear missile in Cuba. The US response to a naval blockade around Cuba was televised nationwide.

The Soviet ships neared the blockade which was seen as a crucial moment but confrontation by both sides was avoided. By October 26^th, the Soviet Union did not show any plans of backing down. This led to the US starting preparations for an invasion of Cuba and a nuclear strike on the Soviet Union presuming they would have retaliated militarily to the Cuban invasion.

7. Tense Negotiations took Place between the Soviet Union and the US

The tension never calmed down and quick solutions to avoid massive losses were being thought of. There were moments of tense negotiations with a message from Khrushchev to Kennedy on 26^th October beginning to calm the situation. By 28^th October, the Cuban Missile Crisis came to an end.

There was an agreement for the Soviet Union to dismantle the weapons in Cuba and return them. The United States in return promised not to Invade Cuba without provocation and declare it publicly. It was secretly agreed that the US would also dismantle and remove their nuclear missiles that were stationed in Italy and Turkey.

Read also on 5 Things Americans were Afraid of during the Cold War Era.

8. There was a Possibility of a Nuclear War during Part of the Cuban Crisis

A ship carrying Soviet nuclear missiles to Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis, as portrayed in the 1969 movie Topaz. Photo by Alfred Hitchcock on Wikimedia

Before agreeing to end the Cuban Missile Crisis, there was some threat of an outbreak of a nuclear war. On 27^th October, the US Navy warships spotted the Soviet Union submarine B-59 near Cuba. Several explosives were dropped to force the submarine to come to the surface for identification.

However, they were not aware that it was armed with a nuclear-tipped torpedo. For several days, the B-59 submarine was not in contact with Moscow making the crew unaware of whether a war had started or not. The submarine’s captain wanted to launch the torpedo but this could not happen as it required the consent of three primary officers who were on board.

One of the officers, Officer Vasili Arkhipov was against this move forcing the submarine to surface. If they could have launched the torpedo, nuclear warfare could have erupted with the results not known. Vasili Arkhipov is reported to have saved the world.

9. The Cuban Crisis Led to the Downfall of the Soviet Union Leader

The United States withdrew its missiles from Turkey and Italy in a secret deal while the Soviets were viewed as retreating from a situation they had begun. Criticism was directed at Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev. This led to his fall from power two years later as some of his allies started going against him.

Cuba was saved from invasion, but Fidel Castro was upset by Khrushchev as he was not consulted before the retaliation. The whole incident led to a deterioration in the relations between the Soviet Union and Cuba. The Moscow-Washington hotline was later created in 1963 to enable direct communication and prevent a future crisis.

Read also on 10 Presidents & Politicians that shaped the Cold War.

10. The Crisis Lasted for 13 Days after John Kennedy became Aware of the Situation

Then-president John Kennedy chairing EXCOMM meeting, Cuban Missile Crisis, 29 October 1962. Photo by Cecil Stoughton on Wikimedia

Initially, the Cuban Missile Crisis was a secret between Cuba and the Soviet Union. However, after John Kennedy was made aware of the situation, it never lasted for long. After then-president John Kennedy became aware of the situation, the Cuban Missile Crisis lasted for 13 days only.

The US had to accelerate things to avoid a massive war which led to Nikita Khrushchev announcing on Radio Moscow about dismantling the missiles. Robert F Kennedy wrote the famous book Thirteen Days which a 2000 film adopted. The Cuban Crisis came close to escalating to a nuclear war during the Cold War.

The dialogue was a crucial object that was deployed by the two superpowers, The US and The Soviet Union that helped in curbing a third world. If the Cold War could not be suppressed, the world could have been flattened because of the more sophisticated weapons that could cause havoc.

Also read on 10 Interesting Facts about Fidel Castro and the Cold War.