Link to National Security Archive: https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/document/29165-oct-16-first-cia-memo-soviet-missiles-cuba-1962
On October 16, 1962 reports have came in detailing recent photographic evidence of Soviet missiles being detected on the island of Cuba from the CIA to the White House. Over on these reports details exact sites of the missile location and trailer information detailing that these are ballistic missles, either SS-3s or SS-4s that have range capabilities that could reach Washington D.C. (CIA, 1962, p.140-141). This was the start of the Cuban Missle Crisis and tension rose greatly for the Unites States as the threat of both nuclear and communism was near it’s doorstep. This can all be traced back to when the Cuban revolution happened back in 1953 all the way to 1959. Led by Fidel Castro, he led the revolution in Cuba and forced Fulgencio Batista out of power to end his dictatorship in the island. While Cuba was free of Batista rule, Castro was in power and turn Cuba into a communist state led by the authoritarian government of Castro. With the development of communism in Cuba, the US feared that the spread of communism would enter the United States. This “Red Scare” would develop even more throughout the “Cold War” and would intiate the failed invasion by the US called the Bay of Pigs Invasion. This attempt by the CIA and their group of Cuban exiles would try to overthrow Castro’s regime and get rid of communism in Cuba. However, this invasion would lead into a complete disaster and would cause the opposite effect the US would hope for. Rather than weakening Castro’s reign the failure of this invasion would only solidify his power in Cuba and cause him to be popular among his people. This would also lead into relations between Cuba and the USSR to increase which would then lead into what we see in these documents the Cuban Missile Crisis. As we read into the document, reports from the CIA state that the missiles being delievered into Cuba was their way of detering any US intervention to weaken or overthrow Castro’s regime just like they try to during the Bay of Pigs invasion (CIA, 1962, p.141-142). This act made by the Soviets and Cuba was a growing sign of communism being spread towards the West and the detering relationship the US had with their Latin American neighbor Cuba.
Citations:
CIA. (1962). CIA Memorandum. “Probable Soviet MRBM Sites in Cuba.” 16 October, 1962