Torch Magazine • Fall 2015 The Cuban Missile Crisis: The Soviet View By Sherry Nay October 27, 1962. This was the day devastating German invasion of World in history in which unclear orders, War II. misunderstood intentions, and brinkmanship could have caused the This history produced an ongoing end of civilization as we know it. This search for security and a desire to is not an overstatement. American avoid war. Soviet Premier Nikita missiles with nuclear bombs were Khrushchev had personally exper- ready. Soviet missiles with nuclear ienced the invasion of his village by the bombs were ready. Soviet submarines Austrians in World War I; during the armed with nuclear torpedoes thought German invasion of World War II, he they were being attacked. Orders was at the decisive and deadly battle Sherry Nay to their commanders had not been of Stalingrad. Interestingly, both received. Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces Khrushchev and Kennedy served on Sherry Nay grew up in Powell, were on full alert. The United States the allied side during the war. Both lost Wyoming, east of Yellowstone Park and armed forces were on Defcon 2, the close family members—Kennedy a close to the Montana border. After earning a bachelor’s degree at readiness step next to nuclear war. brother, and Khrushchev a son. what is now Northern Colorado University, she taught at Wasson High School Many now alive remember the Cold war rivalry, with its history of in Colorado Springs. After getting an Cuban Missile Crisis, possibly for ideological, political and military MA from the University of Colorado, she distinct moments such as Adlai competition, played heavily on the spent two years in Colorado Springs Stevenson’s “until hell freezes over” minds of Soviet leaders, Khrushchev working for the Social Services depart- ment before moving to Nyack, New York. speech at the UN, or simply for the no less than his predecessors. This She got her Ph.D. from Rutgers University atmosphere of dread and how scared rivalry created the context of Khrush- in Russian History. we all were. For others, the most vivid chev’s decision to place missiles in She was an adjunct professor at images may be from the film Thirteen Cuba. In all likelihood, the two foremost several colleges in the New York area, Days, starring Kevin Costner. Thirteen reasons motivating Khrushchev were, including Montclair State University and Days hardly touches, though, on what first, to save Cuba and its revolutionary Rutgers, teaching Western Civilization as well as Russian history. was happening with the Russians, and government from a perceived She and her family moved to Fairfax in subsequent American historiography upcoming invasion by the US, and 2004. While there she taught at does not do much better. The purpose second, to redress an unfavorable George Mason University. Her husband, of this paper is to broaden the nuclear balance. Ed Acker, and she moved to Winchester understanding of the Cuban Missile in 2011. In retirement, she still enjoys Crisis by discussing it from the Soviet Having Cuba as an ally was seen as history, including family history and genealogy. Ed and Sherry have two point of view. political profit to the Soviet leaders. Furthermore, many Soviets strongly daughters. * * * related to the Cuban revolution. The Soviet leaders were living in a Khrushchev’s son-in-law said that society whose revolution had been a Khrushchev viewed Castro as a rebuke to their past. Nevertheless, they “modern day Lenin” (Khrushchev still carried their history in their 406). There had been a great deal of the thoroughly Russian souls—a history of romantic revolutionary spirit in Russia invasions from all sides, beginning with in 1917, and Castro was rekindling this the Mongols who hung around for two in a profound way. Commitment to and a half centuries, and continuing the survival of the Cuban revolution with later invasions of Poles, formed an important part of the Lithuanians, Swedes, and Turks. In emotional connection to Cuba. The more recent memory, there had been early ties strengthened, and the two Napoleon, World War I, and the countries became bound to each other. 29 Torch Magazine • Fall 2015 Khrushchev now had an ally who not * * * It is surprising that a person as anti- only represented the march of world war as Khrushchev would do something socialism, but also was in the backyard Khrushchev had a dacha on the so provocative, but he was absolutely of the United States. Crimean Peninsula where he convinced that the U. S. would not entertained many visitors, including respond with either conventional or The U. S. saw and understood what Americans, and from which he had a nuclear war, explaining to his associates the Soviets saw. In diametric opposition, clear view of the Black Sea, extending time and again that the U. S. did not they were hostile to everything Castro to the shores of Turkey. More than want nuclear war and would not risk it stood for. While the Soviets were once he reflected on the American with a military response. The missiles embracing Castro, the Americans were missiles that had been placed there, would be placed in Cuba as a deterrent contemplating how to rid themselves even musing about whether a missile to an American conventional attack. of him. An overt attempt was made in was aimed at the dacha. Keenly aware In 1961, when the U. S. had placed in April of 1961 with the unsuccessful that the USSR was surrounded by missiles in Turkey, the USSR did not Bay of Pigs invasion, carried out by American naval and air bases, Khrush- respond by creating a crisis. Khrushchev Cuban exiles but supported by the chev frequently told his associates that hoped that it would be the same with U. S. Following this fiasco, the the Soviets would give the U. S. a little the U. S. when missiles were placed in Kennedy administration continued of their own medicine by having Cuba. with activities to unseat Castro through nearby missiles aimed at them. sabotage, wrecking the economy The extraordinary and massive and fomenting counter-revolution. operation began in July. In addition to Khrushchev was convinced that there The extraordinary and the long and medium range ballistic would be another invasion, this time by missiles, the Soviets sent short-range American armed forces. As the months massive operation missiles, bombers, nuclear warheads, went by, there was plenty of evidence began in July. and over 42,000 soldiers and supplies. that this could be true. During July and August Khrushchev remained calm, always answering So why send in something as Khrushchev’s decision to place colleagues’ questions about the dangers provocative as missiles with nuclear missiles in Cuba went beyond tit-for- with the same assurance that America warheads? Prior to the missile decision, tat, however.Like Kennedy, he had would not even consider nuclear war. Khrushchev had spoken with his domestic pressures to act tough and But at the same time, he hoped to military advisers about the possibility pursue an aggressive foreign policy. He distract the Kennedy administration of Cuba, with Soviet support, was also facing opposition to reforms from focusing its attention on the successfully thwarting an American at home, even opposition to his heavy shipment activity and on Cuba conventional attack. The advisors said de-Stalinization program, and a highly itself. Khrushchev used the Berlin issue it was impossible. Therefore, nuclear visible and successful foreign policy as a diversion. missiles would be used as a deterrent to action would help secure his domestic an American attack. political position. Defending Cuba Scholars never fail to quote would also boost his leadership Khrushchev’s quip about the Berlin The second major motivation was to of international communism. The issue, “Berlin is the testicles of the West, redress the glaring imbalance in Chinese were constantly challenging every time I squeeze, the West jumps” deliverable strategic nuclear weapons. him by calling him “soft”. Khrushchev (Furshenko, Khrushchev’s Cold War The United States and the USSR had had already placed himself and the 414). The “squeezing” as a diversionary long been playing the dangerous poker Soviet Union as the supporter of tactic first took place when Khrushchev game of nuclear one-upsmanship. former colonies in their struggles for mentioned Berlin as he was bidding Khrushchev was a great bluffer in this independence, and the defense of Cuba the American Ambassador Lewellyn game. He once claimed that the Soviets further demonstrated the strong Thompson goodbye in July. In August, were putting out missiles like hot dogs. commitment of this support. Khrushchev told UN Secretary General In actuality, the USSR could not catch U Thant that the USSR intended to the U. S., but having missiles in Cuba Knowing that the United States sign a separate treaty with the East strengthened its strategic position, would do everything in its power to Germans, thus enabling them to cut off provided a psychological boost, and prevent deployment of the missiles, access routes to West Berlin. In early created the appearance of parity given Khrushchev decided to do it in secret September, Khrushchev brought up the presence of American missiles in and present the U. S. with a fait Berlin to American Secretary of the Turkey, a nagging problem to the Soviets. accompli. Interior Stewart Udall (in the Soviet 30 Torch Magazine • Fall 2015 Union on a goodwill mission), again it probable that the missiles had been see, totally humiliating Zorin, and the threatening to sign a separate peace discovered. As Khrushchev feared, Soviet Union for that matter. The treaty. He also mentioned the recent Kennedy’s speech informed the nation blame for this humiliation, of course, deployment of American missiles in about the missiles.