Worksheet to accompany the unit from RJ Tarr at www.activehistory.co.

uk

US Roleplay 1: How should Kennedy react?

Timeline recap

19 December 1960 Cuba officially aligns itself with the Soviet Union and its policies.
The US ends diplomatic relations with Cuba.
12 April 1961 US President John F. Kennedy pledges not to make efforts to overthrow Cuban president Fidel
Castro.
17 April 1961 A group of US-backed Cuban exiles invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in an unsuccessful attempt to
trigger a rebellion against President Castro.
27 July 1962 Castro announces that any direct US attack on Cuba would result in the equivalent of a world war.
11 September 1962 In a speech to the United Nations, Soviet foreign minister Andrei Gromyko warns that a US attack
on Cuba could mean war with the USSR.
14 October 1962 An American U2 spy-plane took pictures of a nuclear missile base being built on Cuba.
16 October 1962 Kennedy and his national security advisers meet urgently as a Defence Committee (EX-COMM).
EX-COMM told Kennedy he had 10 days before Cuba could fire the missiles at targets in America.
EX-COMM started to discuss diplomatic and military courses of action.
18 October 1962 Gromyko meets with Kennedy and assures him that Soviet weapons were given to Cuba only for
the defence of Cuba.
22 October 1962 Kennedy announces in a televised address to the nation the presence of offensive missile sites in
Cuba.
You will now watch a short video clip introducing the situation (http://goo.gl/7X5qhg)

JFK with EX-COMM during the Cuban Missile Crisis

1. You are a member of EX-COMM. President Kennedy has asked you how the USA should
respond to the developments in Cuba. You will be given a copy of the General Briefing Sheet
(overleaf). Consider the facts individually and in silence and start forming some ideas about how
the USA could react. Your teacher may conduct a preliminary discussion at this point asking you
what you think the significance of some of these points might be.
2. You will now watch a short video clip of ExComm being given an initial briefing
(http://goo.gl/FcQJ89). Take notes and adjust your ideas as appropriate.
3. You will be given an individual character card. Using your existing thoughts, and the fresh
perspectives provided by your card, complete a statement to be read out in the meeting.
Note: throughout this period and during the roleplay, a rotating ActiveHistory slideshow of the
EXCOMM members will be playing on the screen (http://goo.gl/i2y6aj)
 Worksheet to accompany the unit from RJ Tarr at www.activehistory.co.uk

EXCOMM SECURITY MEETING: GENERAL BRIEFING SHEET

Overview: Khrushchev’s Motives

• Khrushchev has started to build nuclear missile bases on Cuba. His sees this:
• As a way to protect Cuba from further threats from the USA.
• As a way of improving his personal prestige with his own people.
• As a reaction to the USA placing nuclear weapons in Turkey and Italy.
• As a means of improving the USSRs negotiating position with the USA.
• As a way of showing how nuclear missiles can be used as a strategic deterrent, thereby
allowing him to impose deep spending cuts in the standard military.

Individual Reflection
Political Briefing
• Khrushchev met Kennedy in a face-to-face meeting last year. Khrushchev learned that
the American president was only 44 years old - the same age as his own son would have
been had he not been killed during World War Two (Kennedy himself had served with
distinction in the American navy and had survived when his ship was sunk during battle).
Military briefing
• Current nuclear technology means that both sides have bombs that are more than 750X
more powerful than those which dropped on Hiroshima at the end of World War Two. A
full nuclear war between the two sides would destroy all life on planet earth.
• The Soviet Union has few nuclear missiles; these cannot reach the United States.
• The Soviet Union does have nuclear bomber planes that can reach the USA, but the USA
would likely be able to shoot them down.
• In contrast, the USA has lots of nuclear bomber planes.
• The USA has also situated nuclear missiles in Turkey, where they can hit the USSR.
• The Soviet Union has military superiority in terms of ground forces in Europe.
• The USSR has a large presence in Cuba, but nothing that could withstand a US invasion.
• The Soviet Union has been trying to push the Western powers out of West Berlin.
• A major victory in placing nuclear weapons in Cuba would help Soviet prestige.
• The United States tried to invade Cuba by supporting the “Bay of Pigs” invasion in 1961.
• Our KGB agents in Cuba report that the Americans have repeatedly tried to kill Castro.
• American intelligence agencies are closely monitoring Cuba. There is a reasonable risk
that any missile sites could be discovered before their construction is completed.
Historical briefing
• In 1956, the USSR threatened to use nuclear weapons when Britain and France, with
Israel, invaded Egypt (a Soviet ally). The USA backed the USSR up on this and the
invasion was halted. Khrushchev’s prestige was much enhanced by this event.
• In 1959, the United States placed nuclear missiles in Turkey, on the border of the Soviet
Union. The USSR was shocked and outraged but did not react.
• In 1961, the USSR constructed the Berlin Wall, permanently dividing East and West
Berlin and, by implication, the USSR and the USA.
• In 1961, the USA tried (and failed) to invade Cuba by supporting the “Bay of Pigs”
invasion. KGB agents in Cuba area are also aware that the Americans have repeatedly
tried to assassinate Castro in CIA ‘sting’ operations.

You may wish to consider the advantages and disadvantages of these policies as a
starting point: Doing nothing | Imposing a blockade on Cuba | Taking military action in the
form of an air strike and/or land invasion | Offering Khrushchev a deal
 Worksheet to accompany the unit from RJ Tarr at www.activehistory.co.uk

EXCOMM SECURITY MEETING: INDIDIVIDUAL STATEMENT SHEET

YOUR NAME:

Your statement:
My name is…

My job in the USA is…

Which makes me a particularly important witness because…

In my view, I think what the USA should do with regard to Cuba is…

I understand that some people might object to this on the basis that…

However, I would reply to these criticisms by saying that…

 Worksheet to accompany the unit from RJ Tarr at www.activehistory.co.uk

Notes from the meeting

Military Action Economic Blockade Diplomatic Negotiation

Names of those in
favour

Arguments in favour of
this response

Arguments against this

response

Any disagreements
between those who
argue in favour of this
course of action?

After completing the roleplay, you will watch two video clips in which President Kennedy outlines
his decision on how to respond (summary = http://goo.gl/mWySJq; full speech =
http://goo.gl/ZAqgU0). Discuss how appropriate this strategy is. Use your findings to complete the
‘concluding write-up’ worksheet that follows.