The Ukrainian Revolution and the Russian Takeover ot the Crimean Peninsula

Over the course of history, the strategic environment has changed rapidly and is now more complex than ever before – it is currently characterized by unpredictability and disorder, and may yet manifest itself in the collapse of nuclear armed nations, destabilizing conflict in geo-politically vital regions, and humanitarian crises. A world of disparate actors – not all nation states – now exists. Unpredictable events will continue to cause strategic surprise. The widespread effects of past conflicts such as World War II, Vietnam and the Iraq war are still being felt and have created significant strategic repercussions. The failures of these conflicts are the result of our military and political leaders’ failure to quickly adapt to wartime conditions. This occurs because of a general refusal to commit to a military culture of learning that encourages serious debate, critical assessments of our military operations, and challenges to our doctrine in the face of emerging change. Additionally, leaders have struggled with the critical responsibility of forecasting and providing for a ready force, one that is well-resourced and prepared to conduct future operations. It is the responsibility of our military and political leaders to send our military to war with a ready force, and a strategy that will ultimately result in victory. But understanding war and warriors is critical if societies and governments are to make sound judgments concerning military policy.

In his article, “The Influence of Nuclear Weapons in the Cuban Missile Crisis,” Marc Trachtenberg considers three historical approaches to the role that nuclear arms played during the 1962 conflict: first, the view that nuclear arms played no role at all, with U.S. and Soviet weapons cancelling each other out, second, the interpretation that the risk involved with nuclear warfare heavily influenced policy making, and finally the view that the strategic imbalance of nuclear force, characterized by a substantial American advantage, significantly impacted the outcome of the crisis. In weighing the three interpretations, Trachtenberg dismisses the first in supporting the existence of the second, using a variety of primary sources to identify instances when decision-makers were influenced by the risk of nuclear warfare. The focus of the article, however, is on advancing and complicating the third approach, which Trachtenberg claims is congruous with the second. In this third section, Trachtenberg advances the approach that the imbalance of nuclear capabilities impacted Soviet strategy but not American decision making. Accordingly, Trachtenberg’s article is characterized by two central claims: that risk of nuclear war influenced policy during the Cuban Missile Crisis and that American nuclear superiority disproportionately affected Soviet decision-making.

From this, we can see that if were not for America’s actions and paranoia, Cuba would not have asked the USSR for help, and the Cuban Missile Crisis might have been averted altogether. However, America was not solely to blame, for Cuba effectively manipulated USSR-American rivalry to obtain missile defense from USSR against America. Cuba, being unable to defend herself against an American attack, therefore sought the help of its enemy’s enemy, for the enemy of one’s enemy is one’s friend. This in turn blew the whole conflict out of proportion.

The U.S. has a critical importance in regulating and protecting the supply of weapons in the Middle East. Martha McCoy, M.D., A.B.D., has studied extensively in the fields of political theory and

While it may be true that Fidel Castro had a strong impact on the uprising of the crisis, it is crucial to consider John F. Kennedy as the person most at fault for the Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy, America's president at the time, is often been called the most to blame because he overreacted to the missiles in Cuba. The question is if it was an overreaction or just a precaution for the safety and security of the American people. After the CIA spotted the missiles in Cuba, they informed Kennedy and he immediately called for a “quarantine” on Cuba’s eastern coast, setting up a blockade of ships along the coastline. Although many perceive this as an act of safety and protection, it is also easy to say that it was in fact “an act of aggression”

The treaty between the US and the USSR states that the US was able and had the right to intervene. In Article VII of the treaty it states, “To enable the United States to maintain the independence of Cuba, and to protect the people

John F. Kennedy needed to handle the presence of the Soviets in Cuba without diminishing the moral position of the United States. When a formal meeting of the National Security Council was held, many arguments were shared o how to handle the crisis. The main arguments of action were blockade or military action, in particular- nuclear weapons. “It had worried him that a blockade would not remove the missiles – now it was clear that an attack could not accomplish that task completely, either” (Kennedy, 39). Therefore, John F. Kennedy chose to not only blockade; however, to blockade and provide military action in the event that a blockade would fail. His ultimate policy was to remove the missiles and nuclear warheads from Cuba using the blockade to support the moral position of the United States and to be prepared to

The Cuban Missile Crisis (CMC) was a 13 day standoff between the Soviet Union and the United States (U.S) regarding nuclear bases being built in Cuba. The politically charged conflict occurred on the October 14th, 1962 and almost resorted in nuclear war. The Crisis remains as an example of one of the most terrifying events to occur within history. It was an extreme threat for those of society, which existed for 13 long and endless days. If the Crisis hadn’t been adverted, countries would be annihilated and it would have caused unthinkable damage due to the use of the nuclear weapons by both the United States and the Soviet Union. The conflict could have potentially created history in the Cold War between the United States and the former Soviet Union, as well as in the history of relations between the United States and Cuba. The struggle with the United States and Cuba contributed to the pre-existing and increasing pressure between the U.S. and the Soviet’s. Each country was struggling to solidify its power as not just a superpower, but the biggest superpower compared to anyone else in the world. Meaning, it would gain such superficial control and therefore change the world, as many comprehend it today. Thus, as a consequence, one of the most frightening events in the history of the world, even today, arose and politicians still use it in modern times as a prime example to prevent any possible errors that might once again intensify to create an event of such severity.

Castro intended on helping Cuba’s high poverty, but Castro did not turn Cuba into a democracy like he said he would (“Cuban missile Crisis”2). In 1960 the soviet premier attempted to convince Castro to become communist, soon after this castro became communist, probably influenced by the soviet premier (“Cuban missile Crisis”3). A new american president, that could probably change the war, was coming into office around this time, President Kennedy. The new president would take on the problem of this new cuban leader (International Encyclopedia of the… 1). Before him, Eisenhower trained about 1,500 Cuban Exiles in secret to try to take over Cuba, Kennedy allowed this to go on. On april 17, the exils attempted to invade Cuba(“Cuban missile Crisis”3). Since Castro had found out about the invasion, he was ready and defeated the the incoming force easily(“Cuban missile Crisis”3-4). The failed invasion seemed to help the Cuban opinion of Castro. He was now an obvious threat and so the U.S. decided to start operation Mongoose. Operation Mongoose was a secret operation to get rid of Castro, it was an operation where the U.S. would try to sabotage Cuba, but Operation Mongoose never ended up happening. The U.S.S.R. did not want to lose Cuba so they decided to secretly send weapons into Cuba, including nuclear weapons (“Cuban missile Crisis”4). These arm shipments would lead to one of the

It is evident that the US had been flagrantly deceived. Then Kennedy called for a naval blockade of Cuba. Kennedy used political negotiations with Khrushchev to come to an agreement in the removal of the weapons. Throughout negotiations, there were incidents that occurred which amplified tensions. Such as on the noon of October 27th, a U-2 reconnaissance plane was shot down over Cuba. In those moments, both the US and the Soviet Union assumed that it was Castro who commanded the fire of low-flying U.S. planes on October 27th. Although Castro had certainly commanded Cuban antiaircraft artillery to fire, there is no indication that he had also ordered Soviet artillery to fire. Another occurrence is Castro’s letter to Khrushchev insisting that the Soviet Union should launch a first-strike nuclear attack on the United States.

Somethings that caused the Cuban missile crisis. The Soviet Union gave Cuba missiles which was only ninety miles away from Florida ( history.com ). Cuba was taken over by Fidel Castro and he turned Cuba into a communist country. The United States made deals to get

The US was trying to overturn the Cuban communist regime which was under Fidel Castro’s control and was strongly influenced by the soviets. As the Americans’ attempts failed, the Soviets strengthened their connection with Castro by placing missiles in Cuba to menace the United States and to stop them for overthrowing Castro’s regime in Cuba. When the US president, J.F. Kennedy discovered about the missiles’ presence in Cuba, he asked for them to be removed, insisting that failure to do so would lead to a nuclear war. After two weeks of anxiety, stress and a US naval blockade of Cuba, the USSR agreed to withdraw the missiles from Cuba and the US agreed to remove their missiles from Turkey and pledge not to invade Cuba. (Mesquita, 2014) This crisis and the threat of a nuclear war was needed in order for the two superpowers to understand that it is essential for them to find a way to

The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 reflects possibly the most precarious moment in nuclear history. For the first time, the world’s two nuclear super powers, the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, were poised to destroy each other in a war of unprecedented proportion. On the brink of what may have escalated into a nuclear war, the leaders of two nations showed courageous restraint and diplomacy to avoid an exchange of brute force and unimaginable desolation. The situation was preempted by the Bay of Pigs, an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Fidel Castro, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba. Castro had gained authority through a rebellion against Fulgencio Batista, the previous Cuban dictator (Bay of Pigs). America was displeased with Castro, mainly because he was a Communist leader so close to American shores, so a plan to depose him was made, without official United States military support.

The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 is undeniably a major confrontation of the Cold War. Lasting for 13 days it is arguably the pinnacle of the Cold War. This crisis was a decisive factor in the United States’ (US) decision process of whether to engage in a nuclear war with the Soviet Union (USSR). However the essential fault of both state leaders (J. Kennedy and N. Khrushchev) which created the inevitable crisis was miscommunication. Today we recognise actions taken by both states during the crisis as consistent with a realist point of view. Realism holds great emphasise on the obstacles enforced by human nature and the non-attendance of an international government. Creating international politics an area focused on power and state-interest.

After the United States failed attempt to invade Cuba and over throw the dictator Fidel Castro during the CIA led “Bay of Pigs in 1961. That failed mission and attempt left the door wide open for the Soviet Union to step in and make a deal as a world super power with Fidel Castro. Essentially the Soviet Union made him an offer he could not refuse. The Soviet Union attempted to deceive the United States by placing missiles in Cuba at an attempt to score a strategic advantage of the U. S. In this paper, I will analyze the U. S. government perspective of the Cuban missile crisis of October 1962 also known as the 13-day confrontation between the United States and Soviet Union.