JFK REACHES DECISION ON RESPONSE TO SOVIET MISSILES IN CUBA
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On October 21, 1962, Day 6 of the Cuban Missile Crisis, The Washington Post reports "unusual (military) activity" in Key West*, Florida.
The Post states...
"The sudden appearance of (U.S.) Marines...spark wide speculation as to their ultimate objective."
President John F. Kennedy, remaining in the Nation's Capital for the weekend, personally telephoned the editors of The Post and The New York Times asking them to hold their stories until he addressed the Nation Monday evening.
In an afternoon meeting with advisers in the second floor living quarters at The White House, the President expressed concern about a "sense of panic" developing in the civilian population.
President Kennedy made his decision on Sunday, October 21, 1962, to set up a naval blockade of Cuba instead of a military strike on the Soviet missile sites.
JFK+50 NOTE
A key factor in JFK's decision to blockade Cuba was a report by Gen. Walter Sweeney, Jr., head of Tactical Air Command, that an air strike on the Soviet bases would leave 10% of their nuclear missiles operational.
*Key West is the southernmost point of the United States located 130 air miles from Miami, Florida & 90 miles north of Cuba. The island city is 4 miles long & 1 mile wide.
SOURCES
"Cuban Missile Crisis: Day 6," JFK+50, October 21, 2014, www.jfk50.blogspot.com/
"JFK Day By Day," by Terry Golway & Les Krantz, 2010.
"TWE Remembers: JFK Prepares to Tell the Nation About Soviet Missiles in Cuba," by James M. Lindsay, www.blogs.cfr.org/
