Presidential Cabinet

Resolving Cuban Missile Crisis Tensions

The Committee: The President’s Cabinet is a crucial component of the United States government. It is characterized by various secretaries, advisors, and the incumbent president. The Cabinet is designed to address the essential elements of American governance that influence the daily lives of citizens. Through leaders and representatives of defense, education, transportation, foreign affairs, treasury affairs and others, it is natural that all members are held to a high standard. Quick decision-making is crucial in times of crisis, and none are held to this caliber of swiftness of action than the members of the President’s Cabinet. During national emergencies, the President’s Cabinet acts as an administrative body tasked with making important decisions intertwined with operating the nation. While they cannot supersede the decisions of the President, they are the senior advisors whose opinions provide significant influence over the President. The consultation of the President’s Cabinet to the President dates back to 1789, with it being in continued use in every crisis situation after that. These various crisis situations include the XYZ affair, the outbreak of the Civil War, and the outbreak of the Korean War.

In 1962, the cabinet was headed by John F. Kennedy, a popular and influential democratic leader at the time. Coming off of a popular series of foreign affairs campaigns, some memorable moments include his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech and pressure on European powers such as Portugal to decolonize. An issue Kennedy found tough to navigate was the Cuban communist state, which was encroaching on America’s doorstep. Cuba, deeply anti-American in political thought and closely aligned with the U.S.’s geopolitical rival, the Soviet Union, became a persistent challenge for the U.S. ever since a social government took control in 1953. With the miserable failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion, Kennedy resolved not to act rashly in the face of geopolitical stress. Kennedy is, today, regarded as one of the most successful presidents, and his cabinet is often credited for contributing to his success. 

Other influential figures in the President’s Cabinet include Robert McNamara, the Secretary of Defense serving throughout most of the Vietnam War, and Robert F. Kennedy, J.F.K’s brother and the United States Attorney General. In the context of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the main objectives of the President’s Cabinet are to find a solution to the problem of Cuban nuclear weapons threatening the U.S. without committing to war with the Cuban or Soviet governments. Going to war would inevitably lead to complete mutually-assured destruction, especially given the widespread availability of nuclear weapons, so each cabinet member must exercise extreme caution when proposing resolutions. The likelihood of all-out war and a failure to appease the Soviet Union and Cuba will be high if a non-diplomatic route is taken. The President’s Cabinet Committee is not binded to real-life historical events and can follow whatever path they desire, but they are duly noted of the potential consequences. Additionally, it is important to consider the opinions of all committee members. You may form blocs, but are not permitted to shut out the opinions of others, as this is not fair to all members of the committee. Overall, in this committee, you will be put right in the middle of one of the most chaotic conflicts in modern American history, so we urge you to be prepared and have fun!

The Topic: In mid October, 1962, the world teetered on the brink of nuclear conflict after a U-2 reconnaissance flight over Cuba revealed the shocking presence of Soviet missile sites under construction. This discovery, reported to President John F. Kennedy on October 16, 1962, marked the beginning of what would become the Cuban Missile Crisis. The revelation that the Soviet Union had placed nuclear missiles just 90 miles off the coast of Florida sent shockwaves through the Kennedy administration. The missiles posed a direct and unprecedented threat to the United States, with major cities now within minutes of potential nuclear annihilation. The idea of the United States not having total nuclear dominance over its neighbors was entirely unprecedented. Previously, the United States held influence over various countries surrounding the Soviet Union with little recourse. With this revelation in Cuba, the United States and Soviet Union, now more than ever, embodied the idea of mutually assured destruction. The idea was that any war between the two parties would result in each country being destroyed by nuclear weapons. For the Soviet Union, these missiles were a strategic counterbalance to U.S. missiles in Turkey and Italy and served as a deterrent against further U.S. intervention in Cuba.

The Soviet alignment with Cuba and rivalry of the U.S. came within the context of the Cold War. From the Soviet Union’s inception, ideological, political, and economic differences separated the United States from the Soviet Union. During World War II, both nations initially allied to defeat Nazi Germany in the 1940s; however, after the collapse of their common enemy, their attention shifted to each other. The United States viewed the communist Soviet Union as a threat to democracy and vice versa, the Soviet Union viewed the West as a threat to its foundation. The Soviet Union, a global superpower, competed for dominance with the United States in every respect. From seemingly trivial conflicts over chess to world-altering technologies such as space travel, no endeavor had a lack of competition between these two countries. As a result, they competed over military and economic power especially. As conflicts and tensions escalated, the two parties fought proxy wars and each found themselves in various foreign entanglements throughout the Cold War. By the early 1960s, both superpowers were heavily invested in an arms race, particularly the development and stockpiling of nuclear weapons. The concept of "Mutually Assured Destruction" (MAD) was the prevailing doctrine, meaning that both the United States and the Soviet Union possessed enough nuclear firepower to destroy each other multiple times over. This created a precarious balance, where neither side wanted to initiate a conflict that could lead to global annihilation. This period of intense rivalry, fear, and propaganda shaped the global landscape, with every action taken by one superpower met with a counteraction by the other. The Cold War influenced international relations, domestic policies, and even everyday life, as both nations sought to prove the superiority of their respective ideologies.

The Kennedy administration quickly convened the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (ExComm) to deliberate potential responses to this existential threat. The situation was perilous, with every decision holding the potential to either avert or escalate into global nuclear war. Delegates will begin the committee’s work at this critical juncture—right as the discovery of the missiles has been made public, and the world waits with bated breath for the United States’ response. Delegates should take into consideration the public reaction to the actions they take as well. Similar to the Vietnam War, public instability was a major threat throughout the course of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Therefore, if decisive action was not taken, the people would consider the cabinet weak and incapable of leading. 

As the Cuban Missile Crisis intensified, the world found itself on the edge of a potential nuclear war. Both the United States and the Soviet Union were compelled to explore diplomatic solutions to defuse the escalating situation. Many approaches were taken by both the American and Soviet governments. Not only did American and Soviet officials pursue resolutions by way of diplomatic channels, but also through less legitimate means. It was key that this delicate situation be brought to a swift end, for both parties. Famously, the talks involved a lot of conversation not available to the public eye. The delicate nature of the situation led to considerations being taken by both sides for how they would try to lower hostilities while not provoking war. However, the path to an agreement was fraught with challenges. Each side had to navigate complex political landscapes, address the security concerns of their own and allied nations, and maintain their credibility on the global stage. Most allies of the Soviet Union viewed the United States as a major threat, and many in the United States’ sphere of influence saw the Soviet Union as a major threat. This perception was also very much alive within media and social circles in respective countries. Many in the Soviet Union and United States saw their governments as weak, inefficient pushovers who wouldn’t do enough to resolve the threat. Behind this, the challenge was not just about removing the missiles from Cuba but also about creating a sustainable framework for future U.S.-Soviet relations that could prevent such confrontations from arising again.

Many nuances prevented U.S.-Soviet relations from being easily met, including the Bay of Pigs invasion. The Bay of Pigs invasion was conceived during the Eisenhower administration as a covert operation to overthrow Castro’s government. The CIA planned to train and equip a brigade of Cuban exiles, who would land on the southern coast of Cuba, incite a popular uprising, and ultimately remove Castro from power. The operation was based on the assumption that the Cuban people would rise up against Castro once the invasion began, a critical miscalculation. When John F. Kennedy took office in January 1961, he inherited the plan. Despite his reservations, Kennedy approved the invasion, believing that a successful operation would weaken Soviet influence in the region and prevent the spread of communism in the Western Hemisphere. However, he scaled back crucial aspects of the plan, such as air support, in an effort to maintain plausible deniability of US involvement. The invasion began on April 17, 1961, when approximately 1,400 Cuban exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs. The operation quickly unraveled as Castro’s forces were well-prepared and outnumbered the invaders. The anticipated uprising among the Cuban people never materialized. Within three days, the invasion force was defeated, and most of the exiles were captured or killed. Because of this, Cuba had an especially strong distrust of the United States, and talks were hard.

This topic delves into the intricate negotiations and the eventual agreements that resolved the Cuban Missile Crisis. Delegates will examine the delicate balance of power, the role of diplomacy, and the long-term implications of the agreements reached during this critical period. Delegates should rely on historical events and the character of their respective roles in order to make decisions. The committee’s task will be to debate and decide upon a collective course of action that prioritizes the nation's best interests while preventing future crises.