United States political involvement in Cuba dates all the way back to the Spanish-American War in 1898, and it goes back even further in terms of economic presence. The climax of the push-and-pull forces of the supporters of the U.S. Good Neighbor Policy versus the detractors against Yankee Imperialism was reached in October of 1962 with the Cuban Missile Crisis. To say that the Cuban acceptance of nuclear missiles from the Soviet Union was unprovoked would be a bit of a misnomer. Because of Fidel Castro’s nationalization of Cuban land, which resulted in a dent being put in the pockets of American landowners in Cuba, the U.S. had serious plans of invasion and overthrow of Castro, under the guise of a Cuban instigated coup. The Bay of Pigs invasion, essentially the plan put into action, was a complete failure, and it exposed U.S. intentions in Cuba. Operation Mongoose, another assassination plot against Castro, had also leaked, so it comes as no surprise that Castro would look to the other side of the Cold War battlefield for assistance.On October 22, 1962, after nuclear missiles and launch sites had been discovered by U.S. spy planes, President Kennedy informed the country of the immediate danger in a speech he gave on television. The document I would like you to read (you can read it by clicking here) is a transcript of a debate that took place between the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson and Soviet ambassador to the United Nations V. A. Zorin in the UN Security Council the very next day, October 23, 1962.
After reading excerpts from the debate, I would like you to think about and discuss the following: Why, according to Adlai Stevenson, had Kennedy initiated a quarantine around Cuba? Why is he careful to use that particular term? What does Stevenson state the overall issue with Cuba is? Do you agree with this? What facts does Stevenson choose to leave out of his argument? According to Stevenson, what are the consequences of allowing the missiles to remain? How gave is the situation in Cuba according to his assessment? Why does Soviet ambassador Zorin feel the U.S. is wrong in dictating Soviet policy in Cuba? Does the history of U.S. relations with Latin America undermine its credibility in this situation? Does Zorin use the term “quarantine” to describe Kennedy’s actions? What may be the significance and purpose of his word choice? How does the Bay of Pigs Invasion specifically hurt U.S. credibility in the conflict? Are there statements that Zorin makes that could also be deemed false and misleading? What does Zorin say the consequences of U.S. action in Cuba could be? Does Cuba have a right to Soviet missiles to defend itself from another invasion in your opinion? Why or why not? Whose argument do you find most compelling? What is your overall opinion of the Cuban Missile Crisis? Your thoughts…
3 comments:
Stevenson said that the weaponry of Cuba needed to be taken away for the fear of nuclear war in the western hemisphere. He doesn’t blame Castro for being a dictator and even said that it doesn’t bother him in the least. The United States can sum up that feeling with one quote: "our hemisphere has room for a diversity of economic systems." Stevenson calls it a passion for peace and wants to see nothing but peace to fall upon the Western Hemisphere; and for Castro to leave the side of the soviets. The President of Russia said that the United States is nothing but arrogant in its path for “peace.” He said “the United States Government placed the Republic of Cuba under a virtual naval blockade” making it seem like we give ourselves the right to attack anyone when we want because we’re the leading power. It’s true what he says, because the United States has a very twisted version of who is “leader” of the Western Hemisphere, when in reality it should be no one. He says that the United States are trying to make it seem like what the Cuban government did was way out of line, when he believes is not.
Stevenson states Kennedy placed a quarantine on Cuba because they "aided and abette an invasion of this [the Western] hemisphere." He uses the term quarintine because the term embargo would be an act of war. Stevenson believes the Cubans have invited the Soviets "into the bosom of the American family". This is a tricky situation. While the missiles are a threat to American security, it is within the Cubans soveriegnty to create defense. Stevenson chooses to leave out American imperialist "big-stick" foreign policy and good-neighbor, Yankee imperialism. Zorin points this out. The consequences in allowing the missiles to remain would make America appear weak. Zorin points out that this virtual naval blockade by the U.S. is "undisguised piracy". Zorin refers to the Bay of Pigs invasion to justify the missiles in Cuba. The yankee-imperialism history of the United States is necessary in understanding Cuba's and the rest of Latin America's situation in the 20th century. Zorin does not use the term quarantine; he uses "undisguised piracy". Zorin was trying to point out that the US had committted acts of war, and he states that the purpose of the U.S. is to destroy the U.N. and unleash war. Zorin states that Soviets did not send any weapons into Cuba, and that these missiles were Cuban weapons for the purpose of defending Cuba. This is simply not true. Zorin states that the U.S. are threatening peace throughout the world, wish to destroy the UN, and are willing to unleash thermonuclear war. Neither argument seems completely right. Cuba does however have the right to defend itself on threat of another invasion; that is not unreasonable. If the U.S. did not do anything to provoke this then there would be no conflict in Cuba. The Cuban Missile Crisis reflects the realness of the threat of nuclear war. It also represents the conflict between the two superpowers. Yet, neither superpower seems completely right. The arms race seems very irresponsible. It is certain that the U.S. overstepped their boundaries in Bay of Pigs Invasion and Operation Mongoose. The placement of the missiles in Cuba is very irresponsible on the part of Russia because it could have triggered a nuclear war.
oh my goodness.
i just heard on that news that south korea had missiles on a luanch pad. and then the news guy was like 'luckily, we dont think they can do that much damage' and i just started laughingg. my mom was like 'why is that so funny Andi' and i was like 'those missiles would pretty much kill us all in like minutes. these missiles probably werent even tested because theyre to powerful'
and she gave me this weird look. it was epic mr prill!
i love world history :]
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