ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Espionage, Intelligence, and Security Volume ...

Cuban Missile CrisisA low-level photograph taken November 1, 1962, of a medium range ballistic missile site at Sagua La Grande, Cuba, showing launch erectors removed and thelaunchpads bulldozed over. AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS.also aware that the U.S.S.R. had never yet placed nuclearweapons outside Russian territory; these factors made itseem unlikely that nuclear weapons were part of theCuban buildup. Nevertheless, they were.U-2 spy planes (aircraft designed to take reconnaissancephotographs from very high altitudes) were makingregular flights over Cuba, observing the military buildup.On October 14, a U-2 spy plane photographed an area nearSan Cristóbal, Cuba, revealing launch pads, missile erectors,and transport trucks for medium-range missiles.Four of the launchers were already in firing position.Khrushchev had decided to deploy launchers for at least16 intermediate-range missiles (capable of reaching mostof the continental U.S.) and 24 medium-range missiles(capable of reaching the southeastern U.S., including Washington,D.C.).The U-2 pictures were shown to Kennedy on themorning of October 16. Much like the Kennedy administration’sclaims during the Bay of Pigs crisis that the U.S.had no illegal intentions in Cuba, Khrushchev’s claims tohave no desire to base missiles in Cuba had proved to beuntrue. Kennedy hastily assembled an ad hoc executivecommittee of the National Security Council, which helpedhim come up with two alternative plans: (1) Immediateattack on the Soviet missiles sites in Cuba, followed by afull invasion of the island using 180,000 U.S. troops. (2) Anaval blockade of Cuba, to be lifted only if the Sovietsremoved its missiles. If the blockade did not work—and itwas a risky plan, as such a blockade is, by internationallaw, an act of war—the invasion plan would be carried out.On October 22, 1962, Kennedy addressed the Americanpeople by television. He stated:”This sudden, clandestine decision to station strategicweapons for the first time outside of Soviet soil is adeliberately provocative and unjustified change in thestatus quo which cannot be accepted by this country if ourcourage and our commitments are ever to be trustedagain. . .To halt this offensive buildup, a strict quarantineon all offensive military equipment under shipment toCuba is being initiated. All ships of any kind bound for294 Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security