Student Name ______________________________________Class Period _____ Date _______________

To The Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis

Directions: The following activities must be done independently and completed on notebook
paper in ink. In this lesson you will explore the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Click on the link below
to get started and then click on the large arrows to the right of each slide/page to advance the presentation.
On the bottom left of each page there are additional links for documents, videos, and photo galleries. Pay close
attention to the tasks for each page. To return to the previous page, click the red return link in the upper right
hand corner.

To the Brink

Slide 1: Kennedy Photo

TASKS: Read the quote from Kennedy, the text on the page and then click watch to view the video (Video 1).
Listen closely to audio. What is the tone of the conversation? What seems to be President Kennedys greatest
fear about the missiles? What does the president not know at the time of this conversation? Why do some say
the Cuban Missile Crisis may have been the closest call in human history?

Slide 2: Plane Photo

TASKS: Read the text on the slide. Historians debate why Khrushchev took such a huge risk. Khrushchev gave
two reasons- what are they? Explain. When was this information released to the public and what conclusion
did the Russians draw?

Slide 3: Red Background- We do not believe they are ready to fire

TASKS: Click watch to view the video (Video 2). What is an IRBM? Initially Kennedy and his advisors
consider an airstrike in Cuba. What concerns about this course of action are discussed? Later on that evening,
Kennedy explains a new course of action. What is that course of action and why did he make that choice?

Slide 4: Kennedy Photo- The President Considers Options. October 19th

TASKS: Read the text on the slide and watch the video (Video 3). What three courses of action did President
Kennedy consider? What does President Kennedy see as the larger problem outside the war with Cuba? What is
President Kennedy convinced the missiles in Cuba are linked to? Explain in full.

Slide 6: Red Background- plane on the left

TASKS: Read the text on the slide. What conclusions did analysts at the National Photographic Interpretation
Center came to about the Soviet missiles in Cuba? How do the Joint Chiefs of Staff feel about a blockade as the
U.S. course of action? What do they recommend as the U.S. response?

Slide 7: Hand-written note

TASKS: Read the text on the slide and watch the video (Video 4). Why does Senator Richard Russel say that
the U.S. is at a crossroads- what does he mean? According to Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, what
would be involved in an invasion of Cuba by the U.S.? What was the actual number of Soviet military personnel
in Cuba versus what the U.S. believed? Why does Kennedy believe war might happen in the next 24 hours?

Slide 8: TV Cameras in the Oval Office

Student Name ______________________________________Class Period _____ Date _______________

TASK: Read the text on the slide. What did President Kennedy tell the American people in his televised
address? How long did his address last?

Slides 9 & 10: Typed USCINCEUR note/Preparing for Nuclear War AND OK, Lets Proceed

TASKS: Read the text on the slide. What was Operation Dominic? Watch the video (Video 5). What does CIA
Director, John McCone, tell the president about Soviet ships? How does McNamara feel about the approaching
Soviet ships? As a result of the meeting what was the level of military readiness raised to? McCone is handed a
note during the meeting- what does it say? What did Robert Kennedy believe was the presidents greatest
worry?

Slide 11: Photo of Submarine- Were going to blast them now

TASK: Read the text on the slide. What didnt the U.S. know about the Soviet submarines?

Slide 12: Time Ticks Away On Us

TASKS: Read the text on the slide. Why is October 27th, 1962 remembered as Black Saturday? Explain.
Watch the video (Video 6). What deal did Moscow offer the United States initially? What news does President
Kennedy receive just after 4 pm? Why is there no agreement about how to interpret these new events?

**Cessation- a temporary or complete stopping; discontinuance

Slide 13: Photo of Calendar/ Remove Them

TASKS: Read the text on the slide. How and why did time and speed help Khrushchev to end the crisis? What
happened on Sunday, October 28th?

FINAL TASK: Write a well-developed paragraph in which you give your assessment of how President
Kennedy handled the Cuban Missile Crisis. Your paragraph must include:

At least one commendation (what the president did well)

At least one criticism and recommendation

The relevance of the event to the Cold War

Handwritten, in ink.

This assignment is worth 15 points

US-Cuban Relations Today