40th Anniversary Cuban Missile Crisis

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, archival materials, including audiotapes from White House meetings and television footage from the time, were shown. An audiotape was played from a White House meeting with President Kennedy from October 16, 1962, the day Soviet missiles were discovered in Cuba. Robert McNamara and others discussed their initial ideas for a response. In addition, an audiotape was played from the October 19, 1962 meeting at the White House in which military leaders discussed possible action in Iraq, and President Kennedy gave his thoughts on the situation. Next, an audiotape was played from a meeting on October 22, 1962, hours before President Kennedy gave his televised speech to the nation. In the meeting, the president and various congressmen spoke about the findings in Cuba. Following this, President Kennedy’s televised address to the nation was shown. Finally, an audiotape was played from an October 23, 1962 meeting between President Kenn close