Cuban Missile Crisis Question

[Dick Foster]

JFK's incredible blunder of the botched Bay of Pigs invasion set the stage for the missile crisis. The Russians thought (correctly?) that they were dealing with a dilettante president who had bad advice from his A.G. brother who was more fixated with Cuba than he was with his job. The dirty little secret was that the Russians had (still have) boomer subs with nuclear missiles within striking distance of the U.S. while the pissing contest between JFK and Nikita K. brought us to Defcon #2

What? You're supposed to tell us how FDR caused it all. Are you feeling poorly today?

How'd you know that?

 

[SandSquid]

I wasn't born yet. If you were old enough back then to do you remember a sense of panic? Going to the grocery store, etc. What was that like? What did your family do?

I was stationed at Ft Lewis, WA and the entire 4th Infantry Division boarded ships in Tacoma. We sailed to San Diego and took on a load of ammunition and supplies. Then we headed to the Panama Canal and on toward Cuba. We anchored offshore at Havana and next morning we got word that the Russians were departing Cuba so we sailed back to Tacoma. Tensions were very strained but when the Russians backed down from Kennedy's threat, things eased up. It was a dangerous period in U.S. history and a couple months later deployed three Battle Groups of the the Division to Berlin in three 6 month shifts. Things have always been tense with Russia ever since WWII and I still consider them our worst threat.

Except the Russians didn't back down from Kennedy's threats. In fact, it was the opposite.

Ahhh, so they did go forward with keeping their nuclear missiles and short range bombers in Cuba and kept the 14 ships carrying weapons going to Cuba and didn't turn them back due to the blockade?

Behind closed doors, Kennedy agreed to dismantle PGM-19 Jupiter missles that were targeting Russia from Turkey. Kennedy backed down, not Russia.

So we got to keep 14 of our 15 forward deployed missile bases close to the USSR across western Europe (the obsolete one), and they had to remove all of theirs close to the US... And bombers.


Hmmm.

 

[Picaro]

I wasn't born yet. If you were old enough back then to do you remember a sense of panic? Going to the grocery store, etc. What was that like? What did your family do?

I was stationed at Ft Lewis, WA and the entire 4th Infantry Division boarded ships in Tacoma. We sailed to San Diego and took on a load of ammunition and supplies. Then we headed to the Panama Canal and on toward Cuba. We anchored offshore at Havana and next morning we got word that the Russians were departing Cuba so we sailed back to Tacoma. Tensions were very strained but when the Russians backed down from Kennedy's threat, things eased up. It was a dangerous period in U.S. history and a couple months later deployed three Battle Groups of the the Division to Berlin in three 6 month shifts. Things have always been tense with Russia ever since WWII and I still consider them our worst threat.

Except the Russians didn't back down from Kennedy's threats. In fact, it was the opposite.

The Russians backed down and we occupied Berlin 4 months later. I deployed with my Battle Group. Almost everyone kept up with he news reports, same as in WWII.

Yep, and not only there but in various African countries and Viet Nam as well as the ME; most of the Soviet attempts at destabilization were shut down by 1972, less than 10 years from 1962, and we had West Berlin to boot. Naturally the commies and their assorted deviant fans need to peddle a fantasy narrative, but nobody needs to pretend they're not just lying.

After the 1973 bankruptcy the Soviet Union was effectively just a western client state, dependent on western wheat, other foodstuffs, medicine, and refined petroleum imports; we were interested in allowing a soft landing for them, not the major collapse they inflicted on themselves.

 

[Picaro]

I wasn't born yet. If you were old enough back then to do you remember a sense of panic? Going to the grocery store, etc. What was that like? What did your family do?

I can remember thinking how incredibly stupid it all was. I was attending Caltech at the time, so we had all of the basement entrances scoped out.

Kruschev's arrogance was pretty stupid, but JFK chose not to have him assassinated for some reason.

 

[Tehon]

I wasn't born yet. If you were old enough back then to do you remember a sense of panic? Going to the grocery store, etc. What was that like? What did your family do?

I was stationed at Ft Lewis, WA and the entire 4th Infantry Division boarded ships in Tacoma. We sailed to San Diego and took on a load of ammunition and supplies. Then we headed to the Panama Canal and on toward Cuba. We anchored offshore at Havana and next morning we got word that the Russians were departing Cuba so we sailed back to Tacoma. Tensions were very strained but when the Russians backed down from Kennedy's threat, things eased up. It was a dangerous period in U.S. history and a couple months later deployed three Battle Groups of the the Division to Berlin in three 6 month shifts. Things have always been tense with Russia ever since WWII and I still consider them our worst threat.

Except the Russians didn't back down from Kennedy's threats. In fact, it was the opposite.

Ahhh, so they did go forward with keeping their nuclear missiles and short range bombers in Cuba and kept the 14 ships carrying weapons going to Cuba and didn't turn them back due to the blockade?

Behind closed doors, Kennedy agreed to dismantle PGM-19 Jupiter missles that were targeting Russia from Turkey. Kennedy backed down, not Russia.

So we got to keep 14 of our 15 forward deployed missile bases close to the USSR across western Europe (the obsolete one), and they had to remove all of theirs close to the US... And bombers.


Hmmm.

The same day that Krushchev made his demands over Turkish missiles, the Soviets shot down a US reconnaissance jet over Cuba. They didn't back down, Kennedy did.

 

[SandSquid]

I was stationed at Ft Lewis, WA and the entire 4th Infantry Division boarded ships in Tacoma. We sailed to San Diego and took on a load of ammunition and supplies. Then we headed to the Panama Canal and on toward Cuba. We anchored offshore at Havana and next morning we got word that the Russians were departing Cuba so we sailed back to Tacoma. Tensions were very strained but when the Russians backed down from Kennedy's threat, things eased up. It was a dangerous period in U.S. history and a couple months later deployed three Battle Groups of the the Division to Berlin in three 6 month shifts. Things have always been tense with Russia ever since WWII and I still consider them our worst threat.

Except the Russians didn't back down from Kennedy's threats. In fact, it was the opposite.

Ahhh, so they did go forward with keeping their nuclear missiles and short range bombers in Cuba and kept the 14 ships carrying weapons going to Cuba and didn't turn them back due to the blockade?

Behind closed doors, Kennedy agreed to dismantle PGM-19 Jupiter missles that were targeting Russia from Turkey. Kennedy backed down, not Russia.

So we got to keep 14 of our 15 forward deployed missile bases close to the USSR across western Europe (the obsolete one), and they had to remove all of theirs close to the US... And bombers.


Hmmm.

The same day that Krushchev made his demands over Turkish missiles, the Soviets shot down a US reconnaissance jet over Cuba. They didn't back down, Kennedy did.

Who got to keep 14 of their 15 overseas deployed missile groups right there on the enemies border? And which side got to keep zero?

 

[Tehon]

Except the Russians didn't back down from Kennedy's threats. In fact, it was the opposite.

Ahhh, so they did go forward with keeping their nuclear missiles and short range bombers in Cuba and kept the 14 ships carrying weapons going to Cuba and didn't turn them back due to the blockade?

Behind closed doors, Kennedy agreed to dismantle PGM-19 Jupiter missles that were targeting Russia from Turkey. Kennedy backed down, not Russia.

So we got to keep 14 of our 15 forward deployed missile bases close to the USSR across western Europe (the obsolete one), and they had to remove all of theirs close to the US... And bombers.


Hmmm.

The same day that Krushchev made his demands over Turkish missiles, the Soviets shot down a US reconnaissance jet over Cuba. They didn't back down, Kennedy did.

Who got to keep 14 of their 15 overseas deployed missile groups right there on the enemies border? And which side got to keep zero?

Which side relented to the demands?

 

[Picaro]

Ahhh, so they did go forward with keeping their nuclear missiles and short range bombers in Cuba and kept the 14 ships carrying weapons going to Cuba and didn't turn them back due to the blockade?

Behind closed doors, Kennedy agreed to dismantle PGM-19 Jupiter missles that were targeting Russia from Turkey. Kennedy backed down, not Russia.

So we got to keep 14 of our 15 forward deployed missile bases close to the USSR across western Europe (the obsolete one), and they had to remove all of theirs close to the US... And bombers.


Hmmm.

The same day that Krushchev made his demands over Turkish missiles, the Soviets shot down a US reconnaissance jet over Cuba. They didn't back down, Kennedy did.

Who got to keep 14 of their 15 overseas deployed missile groups right there on the enemies border? And which side got to keep zero?

Which side relented to the demands?

You do know the Soviet Union collapsed, and you have no chance now of being made a Commissar, right? No need to keep sucking up, just because American academics remain demented and silly.

 

[Tehon]

Behind closed doors, Kennedy agreed to dismantle PGM-19 Jupiter missles that were targeting Russia from Turkey. Kennedy backed down, not Russia.

So we got to keep 14 of our 15 forward deployed missile bases close to the USSR across western Europe (the obsolete one), and they had to remove all of theirs close to the US... And bombers.


Hmmm.

The same day that Krushchev made his demands over Turkish missiles, the Soviets shot down a US reconnaissance jet over Cuba. They didn't back down, Kennedy did.

Who got to keep 14 of their 15 overseas deployed missile groups right there on the enemies border? And which side got to keep zero?

Which side relented to the demands?

You do know the Soviet Union collapsed, and you have no chance now of being made a Commissar, right? No need to keep sucking up, just because American academics remain demented and silly.

I have an affinity for truth.

Never much cared for the false narratives many Americans cling to.

 

[whitehall]

JFK's incredible blunder of the botched Bay of Pigs invasion set the stage for the missile crisis. The Russians thought (correctly?) that they were dealing with a dilettante president who had bad advice from his A.G. brother who was more fixated with Cuba than he was with his job. The dirty little secret was that the Russians had (still have) boomer subs with nuclear missiles within striking distance of the U.S. while the pissing contest between JFK and Nikita K. brought us to Defcon #2

What? You're supposed to tell us how FDR caused it all. Are you feeling poorly today?

Why do you feel the knee jerk need to protect FDR? JFK hijacked the CIA who illegally equipped, trained and transported a rag tag invasion army which was abandoned on the Bay of Pigs. If JFK was a republican it would have been the end of him but it was Camelot and the media protected him.

 

[Picaro]

JFK's incredible blunder of the botched Bay of Pigs invasion set the stage for the missile crisis. The Russians thought (correctly?) that they were dealing with a dilettante president who had bad advice from his A.G. brother who was more fixated with Cuba than he was with his job. The dirty little secret was that the Russians had (still have) boomer subs with nuclear missiles within striking distance of the U.S. while the pissing contest between JFK and Nikita K. brought us to Defcon #2

What? You're supposed to tell us how FDR caused it all. Are you feeling poorly today?

Why do you feel the knee jerk need to protect FDR? JFK hijacked the CIA who illegally equipped, trained and transported a rag tag invasion army which was abandoned on the Bay of Pigs. If JFK was a republican it would have been the end of him but it was Camelot and the media protected him.

He listened to Joe McCarthy and other right wing loons; they're the morons who produced and managed the Bay Of Pigs. You're one of the weirdos who peddle the right wing loon versions of history; it was just unusual for you to not blame it on FDR, is all.

 

[SandSquid]

So we got to keep 14 of our 15 forward deployed missile bases close to the USSR across western Europe (the obsolete one), and they had to remove all of theirs close to the US... And bombers.


Hmmm.

The same day that Krushchev made his demands over Turkish missiles, the Soviets shot down a US reconnaissance jet over Cuba. They didn't back down, Kennedy did.

Who got to keep 14 of their 15 overseas deployed missile groups right there on the enemies border? And which side got to keep zero?

Which side relented to the demands?

You do know the Soviet Union collapsed, and you have no chance now of being made a Commissar, right? No need to keep sucking up, just because American academics remain demented and silly.

I have an affinity for truth.

Never much cared for the false narratives many Americans cling to.

You decide what? To stick to the Pravda? Lol

Castro said the Soviet Union betrayed him and was soon operating exactly against Soviet wishes as his country went from 7th in GDP in Latin America to 43rd with a negative gdp the next couple decades under embargos.
Krushchev was put out of power because of it (leading to the Brezhnev years).
The soviet's lost 100% of their close range missiles to strike the Continental US with.
Soviet's lost 100% of their nuclear capable bombers close to the Continental US.
The US lost an obsolete, troublesome, and vulnerable missile group and could only hit russia from 14 nearby locales instead of 15... and kept our base in Cuba.
Krushchev was the one that came with his tail between his legs to the negotiating table after being found out and lost everything...

Which is why Krushchev in his own memoirs talked about how he immediately drafted his acceptance of Kennedy's terms, not even letting the Politburo weigh in.

 

[whitehall]

JFK's incredible blunder of the botched Bay of Pigs invasion set the stage for the missile crisis. The Russians thought (correctly?) that they were dealing with a dilettante president who had bad advice from his A.G. brother who was more fixated with Cuba than he was with his job. The dirty little secret was that the Russians had (still have) boomer subs with nuclear missiles within striking distance of the U.S. while the pissing contest between JFK and Nikita K. brought us to Defcon #2

What? You're supposed to tell us how FDR caused it all. Are you feeling poorly today?

How'd you know that?

What bothers y'all JFK groupies the most, the facts or the crumbling of the Camelot legend?

 

[Tehon]

The same day that Krushchev made his demands over Turkish missiles, the Soviets shot down a US reconnaissance jet over Cuba. They didn't back down, Kennedy did.

Who got to keep 14 of their 15 overseas deployed missile groups right there on the enemies border? And which side got to keep zero?

Which side relented to the demands?

You do know the Soviet Union collapsed, and you have no chance now of being made a Commissar, right? No need to keep sucking up, just because American academics remain demented and silly.

I have an affinity for truth.

Never much cared for the false narratives many Americans cling to.

You decide what? To stick to the Pravda? Lol

Castro said the Soviet Union betrayed him and was soon operating exactly against Soviet wishes as his country went from 7th in GDP in Latin America to 43rd with a negative gdp the next couple decades under embargos.
Krushchev was put out of power because of it (leading to the Brezhnev years).
The soviet's lost 100% of their close range missiles to strike the Continental US with.
Soviet's lost 100% of their nuclear capable bombers close to the Continental US.
The US lost an obsolete, troublesome, and vulnerable missile group and could only hit russia from 14 nearby locales instead of 15... and kept our base in Cuba.
Krushchev was the one that came with his tail between his legs to the negotiating table after being found out and lost everything...

Which is why Krushchev in his own memoirs talked about how he immediately drafted his acceptance of Kennedy's terms, not even letting the Politburo weigh in.

The US governments own documents show that the Kennedy administration's concerns were for how they could accept the demands and still save face in the eyes of the public.

 

[SandSquid]

Who got to keep 14 of their 15 overseas deployed missile groups right there on the enemies border? And which side got to keep zero?

Which side relented to the demands?

You do know the Soviet Union collapsed, and you have no chance now of being made a Commissar, right? No need to keep sucking up, just because American academics remain demented and silly.

I have an affinity for truth.

Never much cared for the false narratives many Americans cling to.

You decide what? To stick to the Pravda? Lol

Castro said the Soviet Union betrayed him and was soon operating exactly against Soviet wishes as his country went from 7th in GDP in Latin America to 43rd with a negative gdp the next couple decades under embargos.
Krushchev was put out of power because of it (leading to the Brezhnev years).
The soviet's lost 100% of their close range missiles to strike the Continental US with.
Soviet's lost 100% of their nuclear capable bombers close to the Continental US.
The US lost an obsolete, troublesome, and vulnerable missile group and could only hit russia from 14 nearby locales instead of 15... and kept our base in Cuba.
Krushchev was the one that came with his tail between his legs to the negotiating table after being found out and lost everything...

Which is why Krushchev in his own memoirs talked about how he immediately drafted his acceptance of Kennedy's terms, not even letting the Politburo weigh in.

The US governments own documents show that the Kennedy administration's concerns were for how they could accept the demands and still save face in the eyes of the public.

Yep. And they saved all face. While Castro was left believing the USSR betrayed him and Krushchev was knocked out of power...

While removing all ballistic missiles close to the US mainland, and only giving up ones that they were planning on removing.

 

[Picaro]

JFK's incredible blunder of the botched Bay of Pigs invasion set the stage for the missile crisis. The Russians thought (correctly?) that they were dealing with a dilettante president who had bad advice from his A.G. brother who was more fixated with Cuba than he was with his job. The dirty little secret was that the Russians had (still have) boomer subs with nuclear missiles within striking distance of the U.S. while the pissing contest between JFK and Nikita K. brought us to Defcon #2

What? You're supposed to tell us how FDR caused it all. Are you feeling poorly today?

How'd you know that?

What bothers y'all JFK groupies the most, the facts or the crumbling of the Camelot legend?

Speak for yourself; I never bought the Camelot legend, for one, and for two, you're just jealous because JFK was better looking than you.

 

[whitehall]

JFK's incredible blunder of the botched Bay of Pigs invasion set the stage for the missile crisis. The Russians thought (correctly?) that they were dealing with a dilettante president who had bad advice from his A.G. brother who was more fixated with Cuba than he was with his job. The dirty little secret was that the Russians had (still have) boomer subs with nuclear missiles within striking distance of the U.S. while the pissing contest between JFK and Nikita K. brought us to Defcon #2

What? You're supposed to tell us how FDR caused it all. Are you feeling poorly today?

Why do you feel the knee jerk need to protect FDR? JFK hijacked the CIA who illegally equipped, trained and transported a rag tag invasion army which was abandoned on the Bay of Pigs. If JFK was a republican it would have been the end of him but it was Camelot and the media protected him.

He listened to Joe McCarthy and other right wing loons; they're the morons who produced and managed the Bay Of Pigs. You're one of the weirdos who peddle the right wing loon versions of history; it was just unusual for you to not blame it on FDR, is all.

Senator McCarthy died in 1957. JFK was elected in 1960.

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

I wasn't born yet. If you were old enough back then to do you remember a sense of panic? Going to the grocery store, etc. What was that like? What did your family do?

I turned ten during the event. I don't recall any particular panic.

We had the usual duck-and-cover drills at school, lined up along the walls in the corridors with the nuns barking "Face the wall, kneel down, close your eyes, cover your ears and put your head between your legs!"

At which point someone would invariably yell "And kiss your ass goodbye!" which cracked everyone up, leaving the nuns running up and down the corridor screaming "Who said that?"

 

[whitehall]

I was on Guantanimo as a Cpl. with the 2nd Division Marines. We spent about three months in trenches in the hills overlooking the airfield at Leeward Point. I watched a U.S. cargo plane loaded with ammunition crash on approach and burn for about a day. I saw three Marine engineers blown up in a mine field and a courageous Sgt. from the flame thrower platoon drive out into the mine field with a jeep and recover the wounded. As far as I know it never made the news>