How do you think JFK handled the Cuban Missile Crisis Situation?

Question

Serious opinions please.. and if you dont knoe dont bother to answer here.. Thanks!!

Do you think the way he handled it made him a good president?

Answer 1

JFK handled the situation as well as anyone could have. He avoided a war, got the missiles out of Cuba, and gave up missiles in Turkey the US was getting rid of anyway.

That being said, it did not make him a good President. That was really his only success, other than some PR triumphs in Ireland and Berlin. He had failed earlier during the Bay of Pigs and it was under him that we really got involved in Vietnam.

Domestically, he was able to accomplish nothing. Congress was controlled by Southern Democrats. So though he was of their party, he was not a southerner. They weren't happy with him because of his interest in minority rights and therefore his domestic program didn't see the light of day.

He was charismatic to be sure, but in his time in office, he accomplished little. So I can't say he was a good President.

Answer 2

I think he handled it just fine. Had he not handled it the way he did, I think we would have stood a really good chance of becoming a territory of the Soviet Union...with nuclear capable missiles a mere 90 miles away, the Soviets could have launched an attack - a nuclear attack - on us and by the time we knew what was happening, it'd be too late to respond. Kennedy did what needed to be done; he showed the Soviets that he had balls, firepower, and the guts to use both. They backed down, not him, and we're safe today because of it.

This was but one of many things that made him a good President. One can't help but wonder how drastically different the world would be today had he not been assassinated in Dallas in 1963.

Answer 3

I think he handled it well, but he had to take serious risks. He got the proof that the Soviets had missles in Cuba, which they denied. Once he could prove it he had the Soviets in a spot where the world knew they were lying and they had to comply. To get the photos that proved it, they had to run missions where US jets flew into Cuba. If they were shot down or caught on film, the Cubans could have said the US was attacking or in their air space. It could have turn into a tragedy. Kennedy took the needed risks and the crisis was handled.

Answer 4

This was a direct challenge to Kennedy to see how he would respond. It was classic 'brinkmanship' - taking the world to the edge or war but pulling back at the last moment. If JFK had responded any other way the world would have been seriously threatened. It was all about testing limits to see how far the USSR could push the USA, but remember, the USA had missiles in Turkey, so we were also challenging the USSR to see how far we could push them. JFK handled it perfectly, with strength but also with determination and patience.

Answer 5

He handled it the best that he could with the information that he was given at the time. It still amazes me how those "in the know" fail to give the man making the decisions ALL the information. It still happens today. JFK wasn't given all the pertinant information yet still did a great job averting tragedy.

Answer 6

He handled it expertly.
His expertise was summed up in an address to the nation, in which he said,
"It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere to be an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, calling for full and immediate retaliation."

Answer 7

President Kennedy disturbed the hard-line senator 'hawks' with his 'dovish' approach to the Soviet placement of intermediate range ballistic missles on Cuba, which put a dozen major southern U.S. cities within striking range of the Soviet Union. President Kennedy actually was going to allow them to remain in place except a lot of senators, military, and defense analyst agencies really got upset and protested to their commander in chief.

President Kennedy essentially was pressured by his fellow democrats, such as Henry M. 'Scoop' Jackson, to use military force if necessary to remove those IBM's (Intermediate Ballistic Missles).

As it turned out, the Naval Blockade and alledged 13 day show down was all just a show to appease conservative 'Truman' democrats in Congress, and the American voter.

President Kennedy simply made a diplomatic 'quid pro quo' (you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours) to Premeire Nikita Krushev - remove U.S. ballisitic missles from Turkey and we'll remove Soviet ballistic missles from Cuba. And this is exactly what happened, a diplomatic solution with a peaceful policitcal exchange and not a nuclear showdown or a military blockade of Cuba.

Isn't the study of history wonderful.

Answer 8

I think that he underestimated the danger, thereby allowing it to escalate into a crisis in the first place. He finally put his foot down, and that does seem to have been a good choice.

Answer 9

the crisis was averted. mission accomplished. there is no negative side to this question, therefore, only a positive answer can be given.

Answer 10

Ummmm - excuse me - but wasn't Kenndy a Democrat?