"WE'VE GOT TO PROVE SOONER OR LATER THAT THE BLOCKADE WORKS"

FIRST SOVIET SHIP STOPPED AT BLOCKADE LINE

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On October 26, 1962, the first Soviet ship bound for Cuba was stopped and searched by the United States Navy.  The Marucla, a Lebanese freighter, was chartered by the USSR.

Although having declared only  a cargo of paper, sulfur and spare truck parts, the freighter was stopped and searched by the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., a destroyer named for JFK's brother who was killed in World War II.  The ship was manned primarily by a Greek crew.

Michael Dobbs writes that the Marucla was selected as the first ship to stop because it was very likely NOT to be carrying Soviet missiles.  As President Kennedy said the previous day...

"We've got to prove sooner or later that the blockade works" 


SOURCES

"'Let Us Begin Anew', An Oral History of the Kennedy Presidency, " by Gerald S. and Deborah H. Strober, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1993.

"One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War," Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2008.

                    USAF Photo (1962)

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS: DAY 11

DAY 11 OF 13 DAY CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS 51 YEARS AGO TODAY!

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) 51 years ago today, October 26, 1962, was the 11th day of what would be the 13 day Cuban Missile Crisis, the closest the world has come to nuclear war.

Nikita Khrushchev, Premier of the Soviet Union, sent a letter to President John F. Kennedy offering a resolution to the crisis.

Mr. Khrushchev proposed to make an announcement that Soviet ships headed for Cuba would not carry any armaments while the United States would declare American military forces would not invade the island.

Mr. Khrushchev wrote...

"Everyone needs peace.  Both capitalists and...communists.  War is our enemy and a calamity for all.  We are of sound mind and understand...that if we attack you, you will respond...

Let us normalize relations.  We are ready to enter...negotiations (as) the preservation of world peace should be our joint concern."

Premier Khrushchev, in his letter to JFK of October 26, 1962, went on to write that if the United States agreed to his proposal...

"Soviet weapons in Cuba would no longer be necessary."*

Secretary of State Dean Rusk recalled later...

"The...message...seemed to be Khrushchev personally; it was emotional, distraught.  We were concerned because we thought the old man was losing his cool.  But...there was...a sentence or two that seemed to offer a possibility of a peaceful settlement."

*Also on Oct 26, 1962, Fidel Castro sent a letter to Khrushchev in which he predicted that an invasion of Cuba was "imminent within the next 24 or 72 hours."  

Fidel added: "The morale of the Cuban people is extremely high."


FIRST SOVIET SHIP STOPPED AT BLOCKADE

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The first Soviet ship bound for Cuba to be stopped and searched by the U.S. Navy, 51 years ago today, October 26, 1962, was Marucla, a Lebanese freighter chartered by the USSR.

Although having declared only  a cargo of paper, sulfur and spare truck parts, the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., a destroyer named for JFK's brother who was killed in World War II, stopped and searched the Soviet leased vessel which was manned primarily by a Greek crew.

White House Press Secretary Pierre Salinger issued a statement saying the Soviets...

"are rapidly continuing their construction of missile support and launch facilities."

Michael Dobbs writes that JFK said on October 25...

"We've got to prove sooner or later that the blockade works" 

and added that the selection of the Marucla as the 1st ship to stop was because it was almost certain not to contain missiles.

Dobbs continues...

"The stage was set for...'the worst day' of the crisis known as 'Black Saturday.'  Events were about to accelerate dramatically.  The world was hurtling toward a nuclear conflict."

SOURCES

"'Let Us Begin Anew', An Oral History of the Kennedy Presidency, " by Gerald S. and Deborah H. Strober, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1993.

"One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War," Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2008.

                    USAF Photo (1962)

KHRUSHCHEV OFFERS DEAL TO END MISSILE CRISIS

Friday, October 26, 1962

KHRUSHCHEV OFFERS DEAL TO END MISSILE CRISIS

Washington, D.C.  (JFK+50) Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev sent a letter to President John F. Kennedy today which offers a resolution to the Cuban Missile Crisis which entered its 11th day.

According to sources, Mr. Khrushchev proposes to announce that Soviet ships headed for Cuba will not carry any armaments.  In return, he asks the government of the United States to declare there will be no invasion of the island.

Mr. Khrushchev also writes:

"Everyone needs peace.  Both capitalists &...communists.  War is our enemy & a calamity for all.

We are of sound mind & understand...that if we attack you, you will respond...

Let us normalize relations.  We are ready to enter...negotiations (as) the preservation of world peace should be our joint concern."

Following his offer, Mr. Khrushchev says that if the United States agrees..."the Soviet weapons in Cuba would no longer be necessary."

The White House has yet to issue an official response to the letter.*

*Also on Oct 26, 1962, Fidel Castro sent a letter to Nikita Khrushchev in which he predicted that an invasion of Cuba by the U.S. was "imminent within the next 24 or 72 hours."  He added: "The morale of the Cuban people is extremely high."


FIRST SOVIET SHIP STOPPED AT BLOCKADE

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The 1st Soviet ship bound for Cuba to be stopped & searched by the United States Navy has been identified as the Marucla, a Lebanese freighter chartered by the Soviet Union.

Although having declared only  a cargo of paper, sulfur & spare truck parts, the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., a destroyer named for JFK's brother who was killed in World War II, stopped & searched the Soviet leased vessel which was manned primarily by a Greek crew.

This evening, White House Press Secretary Pierre Salinger issued a statement saying the Soviets "are rapidly continuing their construction of missile support & launch facilities."*

*Michael Dobbs says that JFK said on Thursday, Oct 25, "We've got to prove sooner or later that the blockade works" & that the selection of the Marucla as the 1st ship to stop was because it was almost certain not to contain missiles.

Thus ended the 11th of the 13 "Days of October."  The 12th would be the toughest.  Michael Dobbs writes:

"The stage was set for...'the worst day' of the crisis known as 'Black Saturday.'  Events were about to accelerate dramatically.  The world was hurtling toward a nuclear conflict."**

**Source:  "One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev & Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War," Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2008.

                    USAF Photo (1962)