Cuban Missile Crisis - 1962 | Movietone Moment | 16 Oct 2020

On this day in 1962, President Kennedy was informed that reconnaissance photographs revealed the presence of missile bases in Cuba. Here is a British Movietone report featuring his October 22 speech concerning the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Talks about Cuba. Kennedy: "Good evening. this government as promised has maintained the closes surveillance of the Soviet military build-up on the island of Cuba. Within the past week, unmistakable evidence has established the fact a series of offensive missile sites is now in preparation on that imprisoned island. The purpose of these bases can be none other than to provide a nuclear strike capability against the Western Hemisphere. The characteristic of these new missile sites indicates two distinct types of installations. Several of them include medium-range ballistic missiles. Capable of carrying a nuclear warhead for a distance of more than one thousand nautical miles. This urgent transformation of Cuba into an important strategic base, by the presence of these large long-range and clearly offensive weapons of sudden mass destruction, constitutes an explicit to the peace and security of all the Americas. Neither the United States of America nor the whole community of Nations will tolerate deliberate deception and offensive threats on the part of any nation, large or small. We no longer live in a world where only the actual firing of weapons represents a sufficient challenge to a nation's security to constitute maximum peril. Nuclear weapons are so destructive and ballistic missiles are so swift, that any substantially increased possibility of their use or any sudden change in their deployment may well be regarded as a threat to peace. I have directed that the following initial threats be taken immediately. First to halt this offensive build up a strict quarantine on all offensive military equipment undershipment to Cuba is being initiated. All ships of any kind bound for Cuba, from whatever nation or port, were they a found to contain cargo of offensive weapons be turned back. I have directed the continued and increase close surveillance of Cuba and its military build-up. I have directed the armed forces to prepared for any eventualities and I trust that in the interest of both the Cuban people and the Soviet technicians at the sites the hazards of all concerned of continuing this threat will be recognized. It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched fron Cuba against any nation in the western hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union. Fourth as a necessary military precaution, I have reinforced our base at Guantanamo. - We are calling tonight for an immediate meeting of the organisation of consultation under the organization of American States. To consider this threat to hemispheric security to invoke articles six and eight of Rio treaty in support of all necessary action. Sixth under the Charter of the United Nations we are asking tonight that an emergency meeting of the Security Council be convened without delay to take action against this latest Soviet threat to world peace.
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