Lesson 10

Question 1

What sparked the Cuban Missile Crisis according to the original version?

Answer 1

U.S. actions—like covert attacks on Cuba and placing missiles near the USSR—pushed Khrushchev to respond by placing missiles in Cuba. It wasn’t unprovoked. (Schwartz)

Question 2

Was there a real missile gap favoring the USSR during the crisis?

Answer 2

No. The U.S. had far more nuclear weapons—about nine times more. The Cuban missiles didn’t shift the balance. (Schwartz)

Question 3

What was the actual nuclear balance during the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 3

The U.S. had about nine times more nuclear weapons. Kennedy knew this and the Cuban missiles didn’t change that. (Schwartz)

Question 4

Why were Cuban missiles considered a big threat in public, but not privately?

Answer 4

Through a secret deal: Soviets removed missiles from Cuba, and the U.S. quietly removed missiles from Turkey and Italy. (Schwartz)

Question 5

What does Schwartz say about Kennedy’s leadership during the crisis?

Answer 5

He first considered aggressive action and misled the public, but ultimately chose a peaceful deal and avoided war. (Schwartz)