Thirteen Days

“That was the beginning of the Cuban missile crisis–a confrontation between the two giant atomic nations, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., which brought the world to the abyss of nuclear destruction and the end of mankind. From that moment in President Kennedy’s office until Sunday morning October 28, that was my life–and for Americans and Russians, for the whole world, it was their life as well.” 

Here, Robert Kennedy recalls how he first learned of the Soviet missiles in Cuba from President Kennedy on the morning of Tuesday, October 16, and summarizes what is to come.

“Now, as the representatives of the CIA explained the U-2 photographs that   

morning, Tuesday, October 16, we realized that it had all been lies, one organic fabric of lies. The Russians were putting missiles in Cuba, and they had been shipping them there and beginning the construction of the sites at the same time those various private and public assurances were being forwarded by Chairman Khrushchev to President Kennedy.” 

Robert Kennedy describes the first meeting of the President’s advisory group, later officially called Ex Comm, and the reaction of the participants to the evidence that the Soviets have installed missiles in Cuba after publically pledging not to.

“They were men of highest intelligence, industrious, courageous, and dedicated to their country’s well-being. It is no reflection on them that none was consistent in his opinion from the very beginning to the very end. That kind of open, unfettered mind was essential.” 

Robert Kennedy describes the group of men who comprised what came to be known as Ex Comm, the President’s advisory group charged with developing the American response to the Soviet missiles in Cuba.