What's the Cuban Missile Crisis? (Reagan, regime, death, how much)

[burdell]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred because Castro was willing to nuke the United States with Russian warheads. President Kennedy agreed not to put US nukes in Turkey if the Soviets would withdraw theirs from Cuba. They did, and the close call was averted.

Next time someone tells you how great Castro is, and starts yammering about free health care and all those grreat old DeSotos prowling the streets of Havana, remember that the Cubans were eady and willing to murder millions of Americans with Russian nukes.

I don't really believe Castro had much say in the matter. The players were JFK and Nikita Khrushchev, it was typical Cold War posturing and baiting.

The missiles were already in Turkey, it was an agreement to secretly remove them that caused Khrushchev to back-off.

I think JFK played it brilliantly.

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by burdell

I don't really believe Castro had much say in the matter. The players were JFK and Nikita Khrushchev, it was typical Cold War posturing and baiting.

The missiles were already in Turkey, it was an agreement to secretly remove them that caused Khrushchev to back-off.

I think JFK played it brilliantly.

I disagree. Castro is on record with having encouraged the Russians to deploy the missiles. He renewed his request 19 years later, according to KGB documents. And the US never again actively opposed Castro's dictatorship.

[truthhurts]

Originally Posted by burdell

I don't really believe Castro had much say in the matter. The players were JFK and Nikita Khrushchev, it was typical Cold War posturing and baiting.

The missiles were already in Turkey, it was an agreement to secretly remove them that caused Khrushchev to back-off.

I think JFK played it brilliantly.

I agree it was a great effort after the failure of the "Bay of Pigs" which was one of his biggest disasters as president.

Simplified dumb down version of the Cuban missile crisis is this

Most countries in the Western Hemisphere are democratically organized nations that operate on capitalist philosophies.

The Batista’s Cuba’s ruling class at the time was over thrown by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara (sure the spelling is wrong). The Batista’s were very wealthy predominately white Cubans that now reside in Miami and are very affluent to this day. Similar to what happened in Mexico in the early 1900 when there predominately white ruling class was over thrown by the outside mixed European-Natives-Africans, that are now known as modern day Mexicans.

Problem: Cuba is like only a few hours off the shore of the United States

Government: Socialism...Communist

America’s biggest threat in terms of government philosophies and control of the world Communism

Cuba buddies up with the Soviets and secretly places missiles facing the entire east coast of the United States

US responded with aggression and force

We had nukes in Turkey facing Russia

We (US) were ready to destroy Moscow

Soviets were ready to destroy Washington (so they say)

12th hour Soviets ran like the cowards they were/are.....(they need to be added to the current axis of evil)

Also while we are at complaining about Arabs and Mexicans we really need to look at the Russians and Eastern Europeans that have come over, because they have no loyalty whatsoever.

Yea i'm a lot younger than Perino and I did it as a research report in an AP History class in 12th grade, but it was not something that was coverd in class. Most kids had no idea what it was about. hehe They just figured we did not like Cuba simply because of Castro.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

I disagree. Castro is on record with having encouraged the Russians to deploy the missiles. He renewed his request 19 years later, according to KGB documents. And the US never again actively opposed Castro's dictatorship.

"encouraged" I wouldn't doubt but was the was the little Spanish tail really wagging the bear? I have a hard time believing Nikita was taking orders from Fidel. And it wasn't Fidel on the other end of JFK's 'hot-line'.

[StillwaterTownie]

The result of the Cuban Missile Crisis made the United States look ridiculous fighting communism in Viet Nam 10,000 miles away while communist Cuba was allowed to freely exist at our doorstep just 90 miles away.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

The result of the Cuban Missile Crisis made the United States look ridiculous fighting communism in Viet Nam 10,000 miles away while communist Cuba was allowed to freely exist at our doorstep just 90 miles away.

I guess with Cuba being an island the 'domino theory' was just too hard a sell.

[MorningGlory]

Perino was hired because she looks good while she stands there and lies, not because she is good at doing so.

[bily4]

Originally Posted by MorningGlory

Perino was hired because she looks good while she stands there and lies, not because she is good at doing so.

I have to admit - if I am going to have to hear lies, she is a vast improvement over her predecessors. Very easy on the eyes.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by StillwaterTownie

The result of the Cuban Missile Crisis made the United States look ridiculous fighting communism in Viet Nam 10,000 miles away while communist Cuba was allowed to freely exist at our doorstep just 90 miles away.

The reason we were in Vietnam was to keep communism from spreading. Cuba had already fallen to communists. Which is why JFK increased the number of US troops in Vietnam from 2,000 in 1961 to 20,000 by 1963.

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by burdell

I guess with Cuba being an island the 'domino theory' was just too hard a sell.

Tell that to the Angolans.

And the Laotians and Cambodians.