President John F. Kennedy returned to Washington,arriving at the White House at 1:40 p.m. An hour later Kennedy, with his brother Robert, entered the Oval Room. This crucial meeting of America's ruling minds began. It was a meeting that would effect, and possibly decide, the future of the United States.
Until nearly five o'clock in the evening President Kennedy and the National Security Council deliberated the problem before them: how to eliminate the missiles that Russia had installed on the island of Cuba? The United States could do nothing and wait and see what happened. This, of course, was never a real option. Nor had history proved that it was an American way of doing things. The other two options were to either place a naval blockade around Cuba or initiate an air attack.
Kennedy Makes His Decision
On October 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy appeared in a televised address to the nation. He told of the discovery of the installations, by Russia, of missiles on the island of Cuba. He advised the nation that "any nuclear missile attack from Cuba would be regarded as an attack by the Soviet Union" and "would be responded to accordingly." Then his decision to counteract this threat was given.
No Blockade
A blockade had not been put into effect. In its stead, a naval "quarantine" had been placed around Cuba. Its purpose was to prevent any further shipments from the Soviet Union of military weapons being placed on Cuba.
A Presidential Decision: The Cuba Missile Crisis, continues with: Blockade or Quarantine: The Cuban Missile Crisis.
Previous: The Cuban Missile Crisis: Attack by Air or Sea.
