The Nuclear Of Nuclear Weapons - 1635 Words

In the summer of 1962 the USSR deployed nuclear missiles into Cuba for a number of different reasons. With the constant threat of the USA’s nuclear weapons in Turkey and the knowledge that they were nuclear superior to themselves Khrushchev had to make a decision to try and restore the nuclear balance between the super powers. In addition to this it was felt that the USSR had to defend its communist ally from invasion from the USA who were keen to eliminate their leader Fidel Castro. When the nuclear missiles were deployed to Cuba this held a direct threat to the national security of the USA as now Russia’s nuclear weapons were capable of striking some of America’s largest cities. With tension growing the threat of a nuclear war became†¦show more content†¦After Kennedy’s failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961, the USA sent 15 nuclear missiles near Izmir in Turkey. These missiles held a direct threat to the USSR as it put them in striking ran ge of the USA, which left Khrushchev with a decision to try and protect the national security of the USSR. Khrushchev responded by sending nuclear weapons to Cuba, however Russia’s nuclear weapons where no-where near as advanced as that of the USA and therefore this can be seen as a massive risk. Dr Mervyn Bain (2009, 180) backs this up by stating â€Å"If a total outsider, a ‘man from mars,’ had looked at the situation, he would have seen that the United States had a massive superiority in nuclear weaponry†. Some academics have cited that Khrushchev was not doing this to restore a balance of power between the two countries but his real intention was to protect Cuba. However this view is undermined in his own memoirs where he states: â€Å"The Americans had surrounded our country with military bases and threatened us with nuclear weapons, and now they will learn just what it feels like to have nuclear missiles pointed at you† (Lowe 2002: 366) It is clear to see that Khrushchev was operating for the sole purpose of improving Russia’s image on the world scene. He knew at this point that they were inferior to the USA, but by using this bluff he was able to ensure that Kennedy would offer a compromise and nuclear parity would be restored. This view is emphasised by