WILL IT BE AN AIR STRIKE ON CUBA OR A NAVAL BLOCKADE?
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On October 21, 1962, The Washington Post reported that "unusual (military) activity" had been observed in Key West, Florida. The Post report said...
"The sudden appearance of Marines (here) spark wide speculation as to their ultimate objective in this Cuba-conscious city just 90 miles from Havana."
President John F. Kennedy, however, personally called the editors at the Post, as well as at the The New York Times, and asked them NOT to break the story before he spoke to the Nation. Instead of spending a typical Sunday in Hyannis Port or Palm Beach, JFK was involved in serious discussions with his advisers at the White House.
The President had begun that Sunday morning attending Mass at St. Stephen's Church, then sat down with his advisers in the private living room quarters on the 2nd floor of the White House. Edward McDermott, Director of the Office of Emergency Management, recalled...
"The president was very, very concerned that there not be a sense of panic created in the American people. After the discussion, we went around the circle and asked each person what their recommendation would be.
Then he got up and walked out on the (Truman) balcony. The president came back in, obviously very concerned (and said)...'I've made my decision.'"
That decision was to forego a military invasion and to set up a naval blockade of Cuba instead. One of the factors influencing JFK was a report by General Walter Sweeney, Jr.*, that a proposed airstrike would take out a maximum of 90% of the nuclear missiles, leaving some operational.
Roger Hilsman, Director of the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, later said...
"Most presidents...quickly learn the best thing to do is keep your options open until it either comes down to one thing that is clearly going to succeed or you can't let it go any longer.
But in the case of the Cuban missile crisis, it very quickly became clear to Kennedy that it was his baby, and he became the desk officer; he could not delegate this one. So, boy, he was on top right from the beginning. And the idea of a blockade was his."
*Walter C. Sweeney, Jr. (1909-1965) Born in Wheeling, WVA was commander of the US Army AF Task Group during the Battle of Midway in WWII.
The Four Star General, who became Director of Plans of Strategic Air Command, died in December 1965.
SOURCE
"JFK Day By Day" by Terry Golway and Les Krantz, 2010.
General Walter C. Sweeney, Jr.
United States Air Force
USAF Photo
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On October 21, 1962, The Washington Post reported that "unusual (military) activity" had been observed in Key West, Florida. The Post report said...
"The sudden appearance of Marines (here) spark wide speculation as to their ultimate objective in this Cuba-conscious city just 90 miles from Havana."
President John F. Kennedy, however, personally called the editors at the Post, as well as at the The New York Times, and asked them NOT to break the story before he spoke to the Nation. Instead of spending a typical Sunday in Hyannis Port or Palm Beach, JFK was involved in serious discussions with his advisers at the White House.
The President had begun that Sunday morning attending Mass at St. Stephen's Church, then sat down with his advisers in the private living room quarters on the 2nd floor of the White House. Edward McDermott, Director of the Office of Emergency Management, recalled...
"The president was very, very concerned that there not be a sense of panic created in the American people. After the discussion, we went around the circle and asked each person what their recommendation would be.
Then he got up and walked out on the (Truman) balcony. The president came back in, obviously very concerned (and said)...'I've made my decision.'"
That decision was to forego a military invasion and to set up a naval blockade of Cuba instead. One of the factors influencing JFK was a report by General Walter Sweeney, Jr.*, that a proposed airstrike would take out a maximum of 90% of the nuclear missiles, leaving some operational.
Roger Hilsman, Director of the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, later said...
"Most presidents...quickly learn the best thing to do is keep your options open until it either comes down to one thing that is clearly going to succeed or you can't let it go any longer.
But in the case of the Cuban missile crisis, it very quickly became clear to Kennedy that it was his baby, and he became the desk officer; he could not delegate this one. So, boy, he was on top right from the beginning. And the idea of a blockade was his."
*Walter C. Sweeney, Jr. (1909-1965) Born in Wheeling, WVA was commander of the US Army AF Task Group during the Battle of Midway in WWII.
The Four Star General, who became Director of Plans of Strategic Air Command, died in December 1965.
SOURCE
"JFK Day By Day" by Terry Golway and Les Krantz, 2010.
General Walter C. Sweeney, Jr.
United States Air Force
USAF Photo
