50 years ago today President Kennedy was given photographic evidence of the presence of Soviet medium Range ballistic missiles in Cuba. His first instinct was to launch an immediate strike against the missile emplacements in Cuba. His cabinet urged him to attack. He even drafted a speech announcing an attack. He and his brother Robert Kennedy then started to have big doubts. They decided to open communications channels with Premier Khruschev to work out a diplomatic solution.
Had Kennedy attacked, the missiles in Cuba would not have been fired to targets int he US. But a number of tactical nuclear weapons were on the island. The Soviets might have retaliated by invading West Berlin. A nuclear war would have been the inevitable outcome.
Despite all of the talk about a missile gap and US military inferiority, the Americans actually had more and better nuclear war heads. Their delivery systems were far better than what the Soviets had. In an all
Then we would have had nuclear winter and radiation poisoning. For those who survived the life would have been hard and primitive. It might still be that way today.
One of my most treasured possessions is a bust of John F. Kennedy that sits near my computer. Thanks to his intelligence, humanity, and compassion we are all here today. He was such a special man who suffered so much to be a public servant. May we always appreciate him and never forget him.