"A STRICT QUARANTINE ON MILITARY SHIPMENTS TO CUBA"

JFK ADDRESSES THE NATION: WE STAND EYEBALL TO EYEBALL

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On Monday, October 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy addressed the nation on radio and television on the continuing Cuban Missile Crisis.

The President reported that the Soviet Union has placed nuclear missiles in Cuba just 90 miles from the continental United States.  Mr. Kennedy described this as an "offensive buildup."

A "strict quarantine on all offensive military equipment shipped to Cuba is being initiated."

The President issued a dire warning to the Soviets...

"It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union."

The superpowers stood eyeball to eyeball.

JFK+50 NOTE

President Kennedy's address was carried by all radio & television networks beginning at 7 p.m. (EDT).  One hour before the speech, the Secretary of State notified the Soviet ambassador to the U.S. of its contents.

October 22, 1962, the 7th day of the Cuban Missile Crisis, also saw JFK formally establish the Executive Committee of the National Security Council with instructions for it to meet daily during the crisis.

SOURCE

"Day 7, Oct 22," 13 Days In October, JFK Library, www.jfklibrary.org/

JFK Signs Quarantine Proclamation

October 23, 1962

Photo by Cecil Stoughton (PD)

"THE WORLD TOTTERED ON THE BRINK OF NUCLEAR WAR"

JFK ANNOUNCES NAVAL QUARANTINE OF CUBA

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On the evening of October 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy addressed the nation on radio and television from the Oval Office.  As the Cuban Missile Crisis heated up, 100 million people tuned in.

The President announced his decision to set up a strict naval quarantine* to stop shipment of Soviet nuclear missiles and related materials to Cuba.

President Kennedy added...

"It shall be (our) policy to regard any missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union."

During the address, Strategic Air Command status went to DEFCON 2** for the first time in history. 

The world tottered on the brink of nuclear war.

*Quarantine is a restriction in the movement of people & goods.  JFK opted to use this term because a "blockade" is considered to be an act of war under international law.

**DEFCON 2 is a Defense Readiness Condition as set up by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  From lowest to highest readiness..D5 is normal, D4 is above normal, D3 is USAF ready to mobilize in 15 minutes, D2 is Armed Forces ready to deploy & engage in less than 6 hours, D1 is maximum readiness, immediate response.

SOURCE

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

 

 

JFK Addresses the Nation

October 22, 1962

Photo by Abbie Rowe

JFK Library Image    

"HE WROTE HIS FULL NAME--JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY--WITH A SMOOTH FLOURISH"

JFK SIGNS BLOCKADE PROCLAMATION

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) At 7 p.m. Eastern time, October 23, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed Proclamation 3504 authorizing a naval quarantine* of Cuba to take effect at 10 a.m.,October 24, 1962.

Michael Dobbs writes...

"The flashbulbs popped in the Oval Office as Kennedy signed the two-page proclamation authorizing the U.S. Navy to intercept and if necessary 'to take into custody,' Soviet ships bound for Cuba with 'offensive weapons.'

He wrote his full name--John Fitzgerald Kennedy--with a smooth flourish.

Seated behind the Resolute desk...he was the image of presidential determination.  But that was not how he felt.  He had been questioning his advisers all day about what would happen when U.S. warships came head to head with Soviet vessels, and was disturbed by the thought of everything that could go wrong."

JFK had announced both the presence of the Soviet missiles in Cuba, as well as his decision to set up a naval blockade of the island, in a nationally televised address to the Nation the previous evening. 

*quarantine is defined as a restriction in the movement of people & goods, usually in reference to prevention of the spread of disease.  In this case, JFK & his advisers chose the word in place of blockade purposefully.

SOURCES

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

"TWE Remembers: The OAS Endorses a Quarantine of Cuba (Cuban Missile Crisis, Day 8)," by James M. Lindsay, www.blogs.cfr.org.

   JFK Signs Quarantine Proclamation

                  October 23, 1962

              Photo by Abbie Rowe

                 JFK Library Image

"WE SHOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT THE YANKEES. THEY SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT US"

JFK SPEAKS TO THE NATION, ANNOUNCES NAVAL BLOCKADE OF CUBA

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50)  At 7 p.m. Eastern time on October 22, 1962,
President John F. Kennedy, speaking to a national television audience of more than 100 million people, announced a naval blockade would be set up to stop any future shipments of Soviet nuclear missiles and related materials to Cuba.   JFK said...

"A strict quarantine on all offensive military equipment under shipment to Cuba is being initiated--all ships...bound for Cuba...will, if found to contain cargoes of offensive weapons be turned back.  It shall be (our) policy to regard any missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union."

During the President's speech, the Strategic Air Command went to DEFCON-3 or Defense Condition 3...just 2 steps from nuclear war.  Later, the status would go to DEFCON 2 for the 1st time in history.

Soviet Ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Dobrynin, did not know about the missiles in Cuba until he was called to the State Department just an hour before JFK's speech.  When Fidel Castro learned of JFK's decision on the Soviet missiles installed on his island, he told his confidants...

"We shouldn't worry about the Yankees.  They're the ones who should be worried about us."

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," by Michael Dobbs, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2008.

JFK Addresses the Nation

The Oval Office

Photo by Abbie Rowe

JFK Library Image

SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF MARINES IN MIAMI

AMERICA BRACES FOR JFK'S SPEECH ON MISSILE CRISIS

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Fifty-five years ago, October 21, 1962, President John F. Kennedy, spent a Sunday in discussions with his advisers and in preparation to speak to the nation about his response to the Soviet Union placing nuclear missile sites in Cuba.

The Washington Post reported...

"The sudden appearance of Marines (in Miami, Florida) spark wide speculation as to their ultimate objective in this Cuba-conscious city just 90 miles from Havana."

The President, who first attended morning mass at St. Stephen's Church*, reaffirmed the decision to order a naval blockade of Cuba.  The Executive Committee of the National Security Council, or EXCOM, reviewed a draft of the speech prepared by Theodore Sorensen for delivery by President Kennedy on Monday night.

Because members of EXCOM agreed that any comparison with the Soviet blockade of Berlin of 1948 should be avoided, the term blockade was replaced with "quarantine."

One of the factors perhaps influencing JFK to stay with his decision was the report by General Walter Sweeney, Jr., head of USAF Tactical Air Command, that a U.S. airstrike on the missiles would take out only a maximum of 90% leaving some operational.

*Saint Stephens Martyr Catholic Church, located at 2436 Pennsylvania Avenue, was founded in 1867.  The current building was first used on June 11 1961 & was a favorite place of worship for President & Mrs. Kennedy.  They sat in the 7th pew from the back on the right side.

Presidential assistant Ralph A. Dungan borrowed 4 wooden candle stands & 2 wooden prayer desks from SSMCC for use in the East Room when JFK's casket was placed there.

SOURCE

  "TWE Remembers: JFK Prepares to Tell the Nation About Soviet Missiles in Cuba (Cuban Missile Crisis, Day 6)," by James M. Lindsay, www.blogs.cfr.org/

Saint Stephens Martyr Catholic Church

Photo by Farragutful (2012)

JFK's Casket in East Room

November 23, 1963

Photo by Cecil W. Stoughton