History | Graded Assignment | Virtual Field Trip: Advising the President

Name: Gabriel Oliveira Rodrigues Date: 02/05/2019

Graded Assignment
Virtual Field Trip: Advising the President

The Cuban Missile Crisis lasted for a relatively short period of time but had the highest possible stakes. The
United States was on the brink of a nuclear war very close to home. President Kennedy would call on a number of
close advisers to help guide him through this crisis.
Imagine that you were one of President Kennedy’s advisers. You will need to check various resources to answer
questions to help him make decisions about how to handle the crisis. Visit each site in the John F. Kennedy
Presidential Library and Museum, as stated below, and respond to the statement or question.

Total score: ____ of 25 points

1. “The World on the Brink: John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis”

 Read the first four paragraphs.

 Write a two- or three-sentence statement summarizing the situation Kennedy faced.
Answer:
After an attempted attack to Cuba by the USA, Fidel Castro feared another U.S tread to his
regime. Meanwhile, the U.S. had positioned missiles in Turkey, frightening the U.R.S.S. This lead to an
agreement between Cuba and the U.R.S.S and the shipping of nuclear medium-range missiles to Cuba,
moving America to Defcon 2 and creating a blockade around Cuba.
2. “Theodore C. Sorensen's memorandum, October 18, 1962.”

 What were the possible courses of action as seen by President Kennedy’s advisers? Answer the
questions as you read through points 1–2.
(a) What three types of military action could be taken?

(b) What political action directed at Khrushchev could precede military action?

Answer:
Limited or fuller air strike (followed by military action, according to Bohlen and Thompson)
and blockade (followed by military action, according to all Kennedy’s advisors).

3. “Letter to Nikita Khrushchev from Fidel Castro.” Cuban leader Fidel Castro responded to the threat of an
invasion with a letter to Khrushchev.

 What did Castro say about Cuban morale? Fill in the blanks as you read through paragraph 2.
 The Cuban people's morale is Extremely High and the people will confront aggression Heroically .
bla nk blank

 How did Castro refer to the U.S. aggression against Cuba? Fill in the blanks as you read through
paragraph 6.
 The Imperialists , without regard for world opinion and against laws and principles, have blockaded the
blank blank

seas, violated our Seas , and are preparing to Invade , while at the same time blocking any possibility of
bla nk bla nk

Negotiation , even though they understand the gravity of the problem.

blank


4. “The World On the Brink: John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis, October 22, 1962.” The most
critical day of the crisis was October 22, 1962, when President Kennedy took several actions. Answer the
following questions as you read the three paragraphs.

 Whom did President Kennedy phone to brief on the situation?

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 History | Graded Assignment | Virtual Field Trip: Advising the President
 Whom did President Kennedy write a letter to prior to his address to the American public?
 What three actions did President Kennedy tell Americans he had taken?
Answer:
Kennedy telephoned former President Hoover, Truman and Eisenhower.

He also wrote to Nikita Khrushchev.

His action were calling for the removal of the Cuban missiles, the establishment of a naval quarantine

and made certain that no additional missiles are shipped to Cuba.

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Copying or distributing without K12’s written consent is prohibited.