S. wanted Europe to respect its boundaries, but had no intention of respecting Europe's:
Imagine, Mr. President, what if we were to present to you such an ultimatum as you have presented to us by your actions. How would you react to it? I think you would be outraged at such a move on our part. And this we would understand…Our ties with the Republic of Cuba, as well as our relations with other nations, regardless of their political system, concern only the two countries between which these relations exist. And, if it were a matter of quarantine as mentioned in your letter, then, as is customary in international practice, it can be established only by states agreeing between themselves, and not by some third party. Quarantines exist, for example, on agricultural goods and products. However, in this case we are not talking about quarantines, but rather about much more serious matters, and you yourself understand this. ("Khrushchev Letter to President Kennedy")
Kennedy, of course, did not want to attack Cuba, which is why he proposed quarantine to Khrushchev -- a proposal which resulted in the letter quoted above. The thirteen days of Crisis over (in which Cuba was only a pawn) was actually intensified by the CIA, which had its own ulterior motives in invading Cuba. Robert Kennedy, however, attempts to make it seem as though his brother showed ultimate tact and consideration in his negotiation with Khrushchev. The reality was that the CIA showed the most skill -- it nearly convinced Kennedy that Cuba was a threat when it actually was not.
Castro, however, remembering Bay of Pigs, feared another invasion by the U.S.
The "crisis" of war was averted as both Kennedy and Khrushchev were able to come to the agreement that the Soviet wanted all along -- which was for the U.S. To remove missiles from Italy and Turkey. The Cuban Missile Crisis was never about attacking the U.S. -- it was about the U.S. having the ability to attack everyone else. Khrushchev got his wish on October 28, 1962 and Kennedy was able to secretly remove his missiles from the European countries without losing face.
In conclusion, the outcome of the "crisis" was the creation of the Washington-Moscow hotline, which became a line of direct communication between the two governing powers. This line of communication was opened as a means of allowing the two nations to communicate directly -- rather than through third world countries like Cuba.
Works Cited
Kennedy, Robert. Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis. NY: W.W.
Norton & Company, 1999. Print.
"Khruschev Letter to President Kennedy." Web. 10 Nov 2011.
Perkins, John. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-
Koehler, 2004. Print.
