On reading a biography of Khrusechev, specifically the part dealing with the set-up for the Cuban Missile Crisis, one of the points the author made is that the Soviets didn't have to make the missle placement in Cuba a secret. Apparently, even Castro himself thought that, as this was a perfectly legal move by the Soviets, that they should do this in the open. So, what if Khrusechev had gone this route, publicly announcing that Cuba requested military assistance (or something) and ferried the missiles there?
The Missiles Aren't Snuck In
- Thread starter Adam Parsons
- Start date
Sure--it may have been perfectly legal but where's the impact in that move?
"Yeah--we're going to put a bunch of missles in Cuba. There's going to be a small flotilla of ships bringing in the missles next week."
I strongly suspect that many countries might have 'issues' with that--Kennedy was willing to use military intervention even with the missles over there--would he have been even bolder if he knew that the missles weren't even set up?
"Yeah--we're going to put a bunch of missles in Cuba. There's going to be a small flotilla of ships bringing in the missles next week."
I strongly suspect that many countries might have 'issues' with that--Kennedy was willing to use military intervention even with the missles over there--would he have been even bolder if he knew that the missles weren't even set up?
Brilliantlight
Banned
The problem for Russia is that legal or no the US will not allow missles that are only 90 miles away from it to exist and it has a big, powerful navy to prevent just that.
Actually, Kennedy had no idea there were already missiles on Cuba; US intelligence said was that they were making missile silos. Had the Soviet announced that there already WERE some missiles and that they were bringing in more... who knows?
Brilliantlight
Banned
Knight Of Armenia said:
Quite likely Kennedy orders a first strike against the missle silos.
Yeah... that kind of would start World War III.
Kennedy's OTL action, while illegal, was just pacifist enough to leave the ball in Khrushchev's court, who decided that it wasn't worth the Big One. But if the US just attacks Cuba (when you say "first strike" you mean a nuclear attack, too) then the USSR has to respond militarily, or else it will absolutely never be taken seriously again. Quite likely, it nukes the missile silos in Turkey as a response if the US does nuke Cuba's silos.
Kennedy's OTL action, while illegal, was just pacifist enough to leave the ball in Khrushchev's court, who decided that it wasn't worth the Big One. But if the US just attacks Cuba (when you say "first strike" you mean a nuclear attack, too) then the USSR has to respond militarily, or else it will absolutely never be taken seriously again. Quite likely, it nukes the missile silos in Turkey as a response if the US does nuke Cuba's silos.
Valamyr
Banned
If Kennedy nukes Cuba, the USSR seizes West Berlin by force and nukes Turkey.
He wouldnt do it, though. Kennedy was smart enough not to launch a nuclear war, and thats why we admire his memory.
That, and if you ask me, the fact that he was also the last President of the United States, before the CIA took over that office.
He wouldnt do it, though. Kennedy was smart enough not to launch a nuclear war, and thats why we admire his memory.
That, and if you ask me, the fact that he was also the last President of the United States, before the CIA took over that office.
Brilliantlight
Banned
Knight Of Armenia said:
The missles in Cuba could have easily been taken out by a conventional air strike, they weren't in hardened silos. Cuba wouldn't have had a prayer in fighting off an American air strike.
Brilliantlight
Banned
Knight Of Armenia said:
I said a first strike not a nuclear first strike. Kennedy would NOT have to use nukes to take out the missles in Cuba.
Chris Oakley
Banned
Khrushchev would have been setting himself up for a public relations nightmare...not to mention hastening his downfall.Don't forget,it was his decision to put missiles in Cuba in the first place that helped trigger the coup which eventually toppled his government.