CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS BEGINS
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On October 16, 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis began marking an event that would see the world come to the brink of thermo-nuclear war. Michael Dobbs writes that just before noon...
"The CIA's chief photo interpreter hovered over John F. Kennedy's
shoulder. Arthur Lundahl* held a pointer in his hand, ready to reveal a secret that would bring the world to the edge of nuclear war."
Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara suggested that the missiles were not ready to be fired, but General Maxwell Taylor, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, countered that even if the missiles were not armed, the Soviets would still be able to fire them "very quickly."
*Arthur S. Lundahl (1915-1992) was born in Chicago and received his B.S. and M.S. in Geology from the University of Chicago in 1939 and 1942.He founded the CIA's National Photographic Interpretation Center in 1961 and was the chief organizer of imagery intelligence for the Agency.
"One Minute To Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War," by Michael Dobbs, published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2008.
"Spies in East Bethesda," by Marcie Sandalow, www.eastbethesdamdrealestateblog.com/
CIA Photo
"The CIA's chief photo interpreter hovered over John F. Kennedy's
shoulder. Arthur Lundahl* held a pointer in his hand, ready to reveal a secret that would bring the world to the edge of nuclear war."
JFK was informed that the photographs, taken from U-2 overflights, revealed Soviet medium range ballistic missile (MRBM) sites were under construction on the island of Cuba just 90 miles off the coast of Florida.
The President asked.."Are these missiles ready to be fired?"
His advisers replied... "We don't know."
It was a vital point. If the missiles were armed with nuclear warheads, they could have been fired in a matter of hours.
The President asked.."Are these missiles ready to be fired?"
His advisers replied... "We don't know."
It was a vital point. If the missiles were armed with nuclear warheads, they could have been fired in a matter of hours.
Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara suggested that the missiles were not ready to be fired, but General Maxwell Taylor, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, countered that even if the missiles were not armed, the Soviets would still be able to fire them "very quickly."
*Arthur S. Lundahl (1915-1992) was born in Chicago and received his B.S. and M.S. in Geology from the University of Chicago in 1939 and 1942.He founded the CIA's National Photographic Interpretation Center in 1961 and was the chief organizer of imagery intelligence for the Agency.
SOURCES
"One Minute To Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War," by Michael Dobbs, published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2008.
"Spies in East Bethesda," by Marcie Sandalow, www.eastbethesdamdrealestateblog.com/
CIA Photo
October 14, 1962
JFK Library Image
